


Violet Hill

by topknot32



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, BAMF Blaise Zabini, BAMF Narcissa Black Malfoy, Blaise Zabini is a Good Friend, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dark, Dark Lord Harry Potter, Dark Magic, Drama, Drama & Romance, Evil Voldemort (Harry Potter), F/M, Family Secrets, Forbidden, Forbidden Love, Good Blaise Zabini, Good Draco Malfoy, Good Lucius Malfoy, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Good Pansy Parkinson, Good Theodore Nott, Gryffindor, Hogwarts, Hufflepuff, Love, Malfoy, Malfoy Manor (Harry Potter), Manipulative Tom Riddle, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), POV Draco Malfoy, POV First Person, POV Original Character, Ravenclaw, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Romance, Secrets, Slytherin, Tragic Love, adrian pucey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:49:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 60,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26391454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/topknot32/pseuds/topknot32
Summary: This story is undergoing in-depth editing. So far, I’ve only completed through chapter 9. I will keep the summary updated until it’s finished.Heidi was born into one of the Sacred Thirty families. Before she had even ventured to Hogwarts, her future was decided for her by her parents who owed a debt to the Dark Lord.No one knows her secret aside from Severus Snape, her godfather. She’s been programmed to keep to herself, to not draw attention, but that all changes when Draco Malfoy catches interest.Published in 2013 on another siteUnder revision Feb. 2021
Relationships: OC/Adrian Pucey, OC/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Return to Hogwarts

**HEIDI  
SIX YEARS EARLIER**

"Sit up straight." The wooden rod Mistress Claudine Owler holds in her right hand taps against my lower back and I straighten my spine in fear of what will come next if I disobey. "You know better than to slouch, Heidi." The sound of her voice causes my stomach to turn. I hate her. All five feet one inch. She's a horrid woman with white hair and a nose fitting of a character in a witches and warlock fiction written by Muggles. 

"Yes, ma'am." I grit out through stubborn teeth. There's a thousand things I would rather be doing right now, like playing outside with Oliver, our stable cat. I could climb trees for hours with him by my side, his yellow eyes shining as he turns to look at me from the branch above. The view out the window across the room calls to me. It's a beautiful, sunny afternoon and I'm stuck inside with this old hag.

"Now," Miss Owler's high pitched voice drags me out of the daydream and my gaze falls upon the piano forte in front of me. "Play the Dragon's Dance for me from the top. No peeking at the sheet music." She steps around the instrument, her dark gaze locking in on my own. She sees the disobedience. There's not much she enjoys more than striking out when my attitude gets the best of me, which happens less and less often these days to her dismay. "Fingers on the keys, Heidi." She snaps. 

I want to slam the cover down and bolt from the room. I'm faster than her. I could run as far as my legs can carry me and she's too old and frail to do anything about it. She doesn't carry a wand, father forbids it. I've heard him whispering to mother about his fear that someone will teach me something I'm not suppose to learn, something that will put our lives in jeopardy. What kind of spell could I possibly learn that would put the lives of my family in danger?

I'm sick of these classes. It's the same thing every day. Wake up, breakfast, violin lesson for one hour, French and German after that, tea time while learning how to speak and act like a lady, a walk around the estate for fresh air, piano lessons, two hours for reading and other studies of my choice, dinner, etiquette, then bed time. My days are planned meticulously. I want to play with Zahara, my best friend. I doubt her parents make her play piano for hours on end each afternoon.

_It's all for the prophecy, my sweet girl._ My father use to tell me after he would read a bedtime story before I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion from the busy days as a much younger child. _You'll understand one day. You'll be the hero we all needed. Now, you be the good girl I know that you can be and listen to Mistress Owler, okay? You do as she asks and you learn everything that you can. One day, you'll understand and when that day comes, you'll be prepared. You'll have all of the tools you could ever need to succeed, to survive. I'm so sorry, my sweet. I'm so sorry._ He would mumble the apologies against the top of my head when he thought I was under the cover of REM. When he thought I wasn't listening, but I was always listening. How's a child of eight suppose to understand what a prophecy is?

As the years went on, my father stopped reading bedtime stories. He stopped speaking to me altogether unless it was at the dinner table. No longer did he wrap me up in his arms when I would scrape my knee or fall into a patch of brambles in the woods. He left that kind of tending to Mistress Owler and her approach was cold and clinical. She would scold me for running. Ladies should never run, Heidi, it's bad manners. My mother had long ago removed herself from any motherly responsibilities. She didn't have the temperament for it nor the heart. That was just another on the long list of things my father would apologize to me for.

"Can't I play something different, Mistress Owler?" My fingers reach for the keys, but the stubbor-ness I feel in my chest is impossible to ignore. The straight line of her lips tells me she's not pleased with the question. 

"Not until you've made it through this one without mistake." 

"But-" She takes a step around the piano and my eyes fall to the wooden rod. I know exactly what she plans to do with that. 

"Play," Her eyebrow raises as she comes to a stop just beside me. I would rather be hit with the rod a hundred times than continue on this way. 

"No," My own childish stare hardens as I glare up at her. I don't miss the way the corner of her lips quirks, almost as if she wants to smile. As if she enjoys doling out punishments. "I want to go outside."

"You will play the song." Another step closer. She's close enough that I can smell the heavy perfumes on her robes. It smells like incense and herbal potions. My nose burns. 

"I won't," I push back the bench and stand. I'm almost as tall as her, now. As I grow taller, Mistress Owler seems to shrink. Mother says I'll be tall and thin, just like her. Mother is fair, her hair light in color and always pulled back, her eyes sparkling cerulean. Even though I have her stature, I am my father's twin. She says I have the Scarlet look through and through. My dark hair is unruly most of the time which drives Mistress Owler mad. 

"Do not make me use the rod, Heidi. Sit back down and carry on with your lesson." 

"I'm sick of it!" I shout at her while taking a step backwards so I'm out of reach. 

"What in Merlin's Beard has gotten into you today, young lady?" Her eyes narrow as she comes closer, the rod tightly gripped in her frail hand. Don't let it fool you, the woman can swing with a lot more strength than you would think she has in her whole body.

"I don't want to play. When am I ever going to need to know the Dragon's Dance by heart? When am I _ever_ going to need to know _any_ of this stuff?" I lash out as she keeps coming closer and I continue to back across the hardwood floor. I can feel the backs of my eyes burning. I know it's only a matter of moments before the tears burst through. I don't want to be hit with the rod. I don't want to play the stupid song. I just want to go outside and play. I feel trapped in this house and the only one who holds the key to let me out is Mistress Owler. 

"I will call for your father and we'll see what he has to say about this." My eyes go wide at the threat, the angry wind blown right out of my sails. If there's one thing I can't stand to see, it's the disappointment and worry on my father's face when he hears of my disobedience. 

"Fine, you don't need to call father. I'll play." I whisper while holding her stare. The tears begin to form and my vision goes blurry as I sidestep around her to sit back on the bench. 

"Ah, ah ah," My head snaps up and there's a sinister expression written across her face. "Arms out, Heidi. You mustn't go unpunished for your outburst." 

My head drops as my gaze falls to the floor. My hands tremble as I raise my arms out parallel with the floor. The rod comes down hard on my skin. It stings and I have to bite my bottom lip to keep from crying out. The second blow earns a sharp yelp as the tears burst free and slide down my cheeks. It's been a long while since I've had to be punished and it seems Mistress Owler has been saving up her strength. The searing hits keep coming and by the time she's finished, the skin of my forearms is red and raw with welts extending from elbow to wrist.

"Now, it would please me so if you would sit down and play the song so we can finish up our lesson and get some reading done." I nod without a word, my bottom lip trembling as I take a seat on the wooden bench. It will be hard to play, now, with sore arms and a broken spirit, but I do so without a word of complaint. I make it through the Dragon's Dance without mistake on the first try. 

**HEIDI  
PRESENT DAY**

Another year at Hogwarts. I think to myself in silence as I look over the dormitory room for the girls in the Slytherin chambers. A chill runs up my spine as a draft passes through, the cold from the dungeon sweeping into my bones already. It's not even winter yet and it's already an ice box. Despite the cold, it feels nice to be back home. This room I share with Andromeda Bellchant and Zahara Forrest is the safest place inside my mind. Every summer holiday, I count down the minutes until we're back. 

The second to last year at Hogwarts. I realize as I look around and wonder, will I miss all of this when it's gone? Will I miss the excitement of the first day of a new year? Will I envy the first years as they are sorted for the first time once our era has passed?

Maybe I will.

My bottom lip works it's way between my teeth as I watch a Andromeda and Zahara unload their trunks onto their beds. We'd arrived at school the night before, but most of us had been too tired to unpack after the feast, instead choosing to do it this morning. We had gotten lucky this term, as the first night back was a Friday. That means we get two free days before the first classes start. Two whole days to get re-acclimated to the castle and all it's students.

"Heidi, hello? Earth to Heidi." I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a thin, porcelain white hand waving in front of my face and I snap back to the present. "Could you please stop staring off into space and get something to eat with me? I'm starved and there's only fifteen minutes left for breakfast." Zahara, my absolute best friend in the world begs with a pout. "Please?" I roll my eyes at her and nod as I close the lid to my trunk and reach for a sweater. I can only hope it's warmer in the Great Hall than it is in here. 

"Andromeda, are you coming?" The blonde witch looks up from the pile of robes on her bed and waves a hand in the air. 

"Our house elf didn't pack my things correctly, so I'll just be up here getting everything sorted." There's an exasperated look on her face as she digs through looking for something in particular. "You can't count on them for anything, I swear. I'll meet you down there if you're still eating when I'm finished."

"We'll wait for you." I tell her as we head for the door. 

Zahara links her arm through mine before we make our way through the Slytherin common room and out into the hallway. A hundred different voices waft through my ears as students make their way to their different destinations, some with looks of pure excitement on their faces, some with utter disdain. I think I fall somewhere in the middle, a numbness has settled itself in my body. So much uncertainty lies in front of me once Hogwarts is a thing of the past.

My best friend is oblivious to the stream of thoughts inside my mind and sometimes I wish I knew what it felt like to be her. She's the most courageous soul I've ever met and a little bit of unknown would never shake her. The redheaded flame would charge head first at any obstacle, good or bad and come out victorious on the other side.

"You know, I heard Longbottom is looking awfully pleasing to the eye this year." Zahara nudges me and flashes a teasing wink.

"He's a Gryffindor, Zar!" She shrugs as I roll my eyes and I'm grateful for the distraction of conversation. I can always count on her to keep my mind from wandering to a dangerous place.

"Doesn't make much difference. It's not like I'm looking to marry the bloke, I'm only looking to have a little fun. There's no harm in that, right?" 

"I suppose you're right." We round the corner still arm in arm and enter the Great Hall before taking our seats at the Slytherin table near Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. Zahara chats away with them while I fill my plate with some food in relative silence.

"How was your summer?" Zahara asks Pansy as she takes a bite of eggs.

"It was good. I spent two weeks at the Zabini's with Blaise while my parents were off doing who knows what." The brunette across the table has a habit of talking with her hands. It's hard to ignore. "We went to Dublin for a few days, just the two of us. Such beautiful country, I swear. It's a lot better than dreary old England for a change." 

"Has your attention shifted from Malfoy to Zabini, now?" Zahara teases with a smirk while pouring herself a cup of steaming tea. She looks to me and raises a brow and I hold out my own cup. 

"I'm not interested in Zabini in that way." Pansy rolls her eyes. "I'm not entirely sure I'm interested in Draco, either. I only stayed with the Zabini's because my parents were out of the country. They were vague about their destination, so I didn't question it."

"Don't try to deny the fact that you've been in love with that silver haired bloke since first year." Pansy opens her mouth to defend herself, but no words come out. 

"Love is a very strong word, Forrest. I like to shag the silver haired bloke. Those are two very different things entirely." I can tell just by the look on my best friend's face that she doesn't believe a word of it. Everyone knows Pansy Parkinson has had Malfoy in her brown eyed crosshairs for as long as anyone can remember. Nothing would please her parents more than to secure an in with the Malfoy family. It would be a real prize. "What about you?" 

"I just spent a few weekends at Heidi's." Zahara leans over and nudges my shoulder as she speaks. Pansy nods and looks me over. We've never been close. I find her to be a bit abrasive for my taste, but she seems to get along with the redhead just fine. "We didn't do anything too exciting. We went into the city and did some shopping."

"Sounds exhilarating." Pansy laughs. 

This is the way our relationship works and it's why it works so well. Zahara is the outspoken one, the fun, flashy, give-me-all-the-attention one. Me, on the other hand I'm the introvert type. It's best for everyone if no one tries to get to know too much about me. No one here at Hogwarts would ever understand the burdens I carry on my shoulders every day and I wouldn't blame them. I was born into a family who had debts to pay and I was their only bargaining chip.

I reach into the bag slung over my shoulder and pull out the latest book I've been reading and flip to the page I left off on. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle and I get the sensation that someone is watching me. It's an unmistakable feeling. I try to ignore it and carry on with the words on the page, but after a moment, I look up. To my dismay, I find the group of boys at the end of the table looking this way. The troublemakers. They seem to be in deep discussion and the one on the right has a grin on his face. It seems they've got Zahara, Pansy, and myself in their sights. It must've been a long summer if they're already up to scheming on which girls are up for grabs already. Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, and Adrian Pucey seem to be exchanging hushed whispers between the three of them while the one in the center, Malfoy himself, seems to be looking directly at me.

**DRACO**

"Zahara sure is looking good this term." Adrian Pucey teases with an arrogant grin on his face as he nudges my shoulder, a fresh roll in one hand. He takes a bite and mumbles something to himself about wanting to get to know her better.

"As if that's new, Pucey. You've had a thing for that girl since fourth year. Just ask her out, already." I tell him with an irritated sigh as I scan the Great Hall. His constant monologue about her is pushing me to my patience limit. It's nothing new. Every year he acts as if he's seeing her for the first time, but always chickens out and treats her like one of the guys. 

Zahara is the type of girl who's had all of the Slytherin boys' attention since she hit puberty, grew six inches, and started wearing tight clothing under her robes. Clothing she isn't afraid to show off when there's no professor eyes to catch her. She's cool, sure, but she reminds me too much of Pansy Parkinson who sits across from her. More confident than Pansy, but she still has that same air about her. 

"How was your romantic getaway with Parkinson?" I ask Zabini and he just rolls his eyes. 

"It wasn't like that." He defends himself while taking a bite of bacon. "Her family needed somewhere for her to stay and my mother offered. I didn't want to spend the whole summer stuck inside, so we went to Dublin for a few weeks. It was no big deal, really." 

"Uh, huh," Pucey smirks. "We all know Parkinson. I'm sure it wasn't too hard to get her to give it up." Zabini's eyes narrow as he reaches out and slaps the blonde on the chest.

"I didn't touch the girl. We all know she's been around the block a time or two with Malfoy. I'm not into sharing. She's a good friend, that's all." 

"She really is a great shag." I tell him as I look down at the dark haired Slytherin. If only she didn't drip desperation and have such a quick temper, she would be the kind of girl you might want to spend some time with. There's been more than a few times when the two of us would get drunk out on the Quidditch pitch together, just the two of us, and with a belly full of Ogden's Firewhisky, the real her would start to show. She's funny with quick wit and a pretty serious sense of humor. When she's not trying so hard, that's when I actually like to be in her presence. It's too bad it's so rare.

My eyes land on the girl beside Zahara. Heidi Scarlet. Instead of joining in on the conversation with the Slytherin girls, she's got her nose buried in a book. I can't read the title from here, but it's massive with at least a thousand pages, if not more. I watch as she looks up every now and then to add to the conversation, but for the most part she keeps to herself.

"When did Scarlet fill out?" I question with a raised brow. I remember last year, she was thin enough to be mistaken for a prepubescent boy without much shape. I'm taken by surprise when I look her over and see the new curves filling out her jumper.

"Must have happened this summer." Blaise looks her over as well and shakes his head up and down. "I've always had a thing for bookworms." 

"You've always had a thing for anyone that will come within a foot of your trousers, Zabini." Pucey laughs at his own joke and Zabini shoves him. Their tirades are exhausting sometimes.

"At least I've had someone in my trousers, unlike you." Pucey feigns offense with a hand over his heart.

"You're such a twat. We both know I have no trouble in that department." 

"Shut up, the both of you," I snap with a bit of irritation in my voice. "If you have to defend what's going on behind your bedroom door, it's likely there's nothing _actually_ going on." That seems to get them to shut their mouths for the time being. "Why don't I ever see her at any parties?" I pull their attention back to the brunette beside Zahara. "There were several over the summer and she wasn't at a single one." 

"Fat chance you'll ever catch that one out having any fun. She's been a bump on a troll all her life. She rarely speaks to anyone except for Forrest. I think she's friends with Parkinson and Bellchant, but not close." 

"What do you know about her?" I keep my gaze focused on her as she reads.

"Not much, really." That's surprising. Blaise knows everything about everyone. He's like our living, breathing, gossip column. "She comes from an old line of pureblood witches. The Scarlet name has been dwindling the last hundred years or so, at least that's why my mother has said." 

"You talk about her with your mother?" My brow raises. 

"I talk about everyone with my mother. How do you think I stay informed?" Zabini says the words like it's the most obvious fact. "My mother has a way of getting information from just about anyone." We all know the rumors about Blaise Zabini's mother. With seven dead husbands, it's not hard to imagine just how she comes about her information. She's an incredibly powerful witch and wizards would lay down all of their riches at her feet for her hand in marriage. Even if that marriage meant their suspicious demise somewhere along the line. People have a way of spilling their secrets when they're around her. Maybe it's magic, maybe it's just her charm. "Anyway, It's more and more common for the Scarlet's to birth squibs than anything. They ship them off to the states and pretend like they never existed. I think Heidi was the first child born with magic in the last several years." 

"How sad," My tone is full of sarcasm. There's always a reason for a name dying out. If the Scarlet's are running out of heirs, there's a reason. It's happened before to powerful families and it will continue to happen as long as magic exists. As I watch her, she looks up and meets my gaze. She makes no move to look away and that surprises me. It's not until Theo Knott slams his bag filled with books down onto the table and almost spills a glass of pumpkin juice all over Blaise that I pull my gaze away. "Way to go, moron." I snap at him while pushing the goblet out of spilling distance from his things.

"What have I missed?" The tall, lanky brunette slides onto the bench beside Adrian like nothing just happened. 

"We're just catching up on the roster this year." Zabini takes a sip of his coffee while nodding his head in the direction of the girls further down the table. A smirk spreads across Theo's face as he starts filling his plate.

"Fantastic, my favorite subject."


	2. Welcome Back, Slytherin

**HEIDI**

I can already hear the music playing downstairs in the common room as Andromeda checks herself out in the mirror on the other side of the room, her long blonde hair flowing down her back in bouncy waves she had conjured up a charm for. She's clothed in a tight, black skirt with a body hugging long sleeved top to go with it. Her wrists, neck, and ears are adorned with sparkling silver jewelry. A few of the other Slytherin girls are still up here, having decided all of us should get ready together, giggling to each other while exchanging whispers. I have to wonder what they are waiting for. The party has been in full swing for over an hour. If I'm being honest, I've never dreaded anything more than going down those stairs. 

"I think I would rather stay up here tonight. I'm tired." I tell Zahara as she rummages through her trunk for an outfit to wear to Slytherin's annual 'Welcome Back' party.

"That's out of the question." She complains without looking up from her trunk. "It's happening here in the common room. What do you want to do, sit up here and read all night?" Zahara teases, knowing all too well I would be happy doing just that. She looks beautiful tonight with her hair straightened and tossed over one shoulder. Her makeup is done dark as usual with lips the color of the finest rubies. She looks like a character out of a storybook from my childhood, someone dark and sinister, but ethereal at the same time.

"You know I wouldn't mind that. You won't even miss me if I stay behind." I sit on the edge of my bed and fiddle with my hands, hoping she will change her mind. Being surrounded by happy-go-lucky teens doesn't sound all that fun to me. Years of perfecting how to keep myself in check to the letter has made letting go and having fun hard to do. It's easier to avoid being put in an awkward situation than hope I can remember what it feels like to be normal, to not seem out of place and weird. Zahara understands my quirks, but not many others would.

"You're my best friend, Heidi. I won't have you sitting up here all by yourself while everyone else is downstairs having a good time. It's our first night back and I want to spend some time with you." Zahara gives me a reassuring smile and goes back to looking for an outfit. I give in, knowing she's a stubborn creature and nothing I can say will change that.

"What do you think about this?" Andromeda asks as she turns from the mirror and smooths her hands down the front of her skirt. The material hugs her curves in all of the right places and I envy her ability to pull off anything without trying. I had, somehow, obtained curves of my own almost overnight and I'm still figuring out how to highlight them in the right way.

"Perfect," Zahara tells her while doing a thorough lookover. "Pair that with those black stilettos," The redhead points to the row of shoes Andromeda had unpacked just under the window by her bed. "And you'll be good to go." Pansy storms into the room looking out of sorts as she hurries over to Zahara's wardrobe without so much as a hello. 

"I need those booties you wore to the Halloween dance last year," The brunette pulls the door open and starts rifling through Zahara's things. "You brought them, didn't you? They were fabulous." 

"Of course. Check the bottom on the left." Pansy looks just as eye catching as Andromeda in a pair of tight, black jeans and a tank top that shows off the new tattoo she had gotten over the summer. It's an intricate third eye in the center of her upper back, just between her shoulder blades.

Thirty minutes later, after the rest of the girls have made their way downstairs after leaving our dormitory an absolute mess, Zahara and I are both dressed and ready for whatever lies ahead of us tonight. Zahara sports an emerald green dress that hits her leg at the thigh. As always she looks stunning in the colors of our house and the red of her hair stands out against the material, making her look like she's haloed in flames. I on the other hand, went for a much simpler look with a simple fitted dress in my favorite color, black, that comes down about four inches above my knees. There's no glitz or glam to it, just simple long sleeves with a straight across neckline.

"Well, at least you wore a dress." Zahara eyes me and I can tell she's not satisfied with my ensemble. "Even though I told you to trash that thing after you wore it the last time. Do you want all of the guys in Slytherin to think you're an old maid?" She jokes with a giggle. Some people would take her comments to heart, but I've known her for so long I know she doesn't mean anything by them.

"Unlike you Zar, I couldn't care less if the boys notice me at all." There's more truth in that than my best friend will ever understand. There's no point in catching anyone's eye because at the end of the day, I'm spoken for and nothing in this world will ever change that. It's easier to just pretend like boys don't exist. Zahara accepts defeat and shakes her head with a slight smirk on her face.

"I guess you'll do." She grabs my arm and pulls me down the stairs into the common room which has been transformed into a completely different environment than it had been earlier in the day. It seems the party planners, Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, have outdone themselves this time. The already green glow of light from the lake above looks even eerier turned down low with multicolored lights all strobing around the room. A table has been set up with food and drinks and the music is loud enough to keep me from hearing Zahara talking who is right beside me, her hand clutched in mine.

When we make it down the stairs, I see that students from all different houses are here. Luna Lovegood is talking to a few Hufflepuff sixth years in one corner and Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Romilda Vane are all gossiping by the fireplace. Most of the Slytherin students older than fifth year are also dispersed around the room. Anyone younger had been told to stay in bed or find somewhere else to sleep. I look over by the punch bowl and see Adrian Pucey eyeing Zahara from afar. I roll my eyes to myself and nudge her. She looks up and sees him and grins like a fool.

"I think he's charming." She gushes, a blush appearing on her pale cheeks.

"Yes, I suppose he is if you like boys of that sort." It's no secret Adrian Pucey has had a crush on Zahara for quite some time, now. 

"You need to lighten up, Heidi, or you're going to be alone forever. It's okay to play with boys. Have a little fun." She wrinkles up her nose with a grin and drags me over to Adrian. When he sees us coming, he turns his full attention to us, an eyebrow raised and a smug look on his face. He sips on a goblet of firewhisky and by the tinge of color in his complexion, it's not his first.

"Hey, Zahara." Adrian doesn't even blink in my direction, but that's the way it always is. I'm background noise. No one notices me unless I speak directly to them. Almost six years of being a nobody has kept me out of any danger and I don't mind one bit.

"You know Heidi, right?" Zahara speaks up for me and squeezes my hand a little tighter in hers. For the first time Adrian looks down at me.

"Yeah, we had Transfigurations together last year, didn't we?" He steps over to the table full of drinks and fills up two more glasses before passing them our way. 

"We did." I take a sip of the liquid and it burns more than I expected it to. It's not my first time drinking, obviously, but firewhisky has never been something I've acquired a taste for. I prefer lighter spirits.

"Parkinson sure did a great job bringing the party together." Adrian takes the opportunity to look my friend up and down. 

"She always comes through, doesn't she?" Zahara looks over where Pansy stands leaning against the fireplace, a smile on her face as she talks to none other than Draco Malfoy. He's dressed in black head to toe and instead of changing for the party like everyone else had, it seems he's wearing the same thing he had on earlier in the day at breakfast. As the two of them talk, I take a more thorough look around the common room to see who all is here. 

"Heidi!" I hear someone call out and the sound of my name pulls Parkinson and Malfoy's attention alike. I'm not oblivious to his grey eyed stare as I spin around and see Hermione Granger working her way through the thick crowd of students. Ginny Weasley is in tow just behind her. "Hey, I was hoping I would find you here." The Gryffindor pulls me into a warm hug which earns a look from Zahara. She's never been too fond of anyone in the Golden Trio. She finds them to be too arrogant, too good, but I've never seen them that way. Hermione has always been company I enjoy. I wish we could be closer, but being in rival houses has a way of keeping people apart. 

"Granger, how have you been?" I ask as I step away from Adrian and Zahara. "Ginny, it's good to see you." The Weasley girl offers me a smile.

"Great, we didn't plan on coming. Harry and Ron refused for obvious reasons, but the Gryffindor common room was so dull, so here we are." Hermione shrugs. "No one in Gryffindor ever wants to have a welcome back party." 

"I'm glad you decided to come." I glance back at Zahara and see her deep in conversation with Adrian. "Parties aren't really my thing, but it's nice to know I have you guys to talk to." The three of us make our way over to an empty couch by the fireplace. As we sit and chat, I continue sipping on the firewhisky until the goblet is empty.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Draco Malfoy is staring at you." Ginny leans over and whispers the words in my ear. My gaze snaps up to where he's still standing with Pansy, her back to us, his focus locked on me over her shoulder.

"What are we whispering?" Hermione leans in closer so she can hear over the music.

"Just that Malfoy seems to have someone in his sights." Hermione looks up and catches him staring. That seems to shake him because he turns his attention back to Pansy while reaching up to pull at the collar of his shirt.

"How horrific." Hermione's voice is very straightforward as she continues to stare at the blonde Slytherin. She leans in even closer to keep any nearby ears from hearing the words she speaks next. "Vile, he is. Harry's convinced he's taken the mark and joined the Dark Lord's army." That peaks my attention. 

"Why would Harry assume that?" I don't know much about Malfoy, but I know he comes from a long line of dark witches and wizards that have been rumored to be Death Eaters. 

"Harry saw him over the summer. It was a very precarious situation from what I was told. I don't have all of the details," Her eyes shift around the room and she clears her throat, like there's more to the story, but she's not comfortable saying it out loud. "But it's safe to say that Malfoy has turned bad. Really bad this time." 

"I think he's harmless." I tell the two. There's always been rumors about where his loyalties lie, but I've learned from my own family that you should never judge someone based off what's the obvious answer. There's usually more to the story than you could ever imagine.

"You do?" Ginny raises an eyebrow in surprise. "I know you're a Slytherin and all so you're suppose to stand up for your housemates, but it's Draco we're talking about here." 

"He's just Malfoy, you know? People have been saying he was a Death Eater since first year. How ridiculous was that? He was just a kid." The two think that over for a moment. "He's an arrogant prat for sure, but Death Eater, I'm not so sure about that." 

"Maybe you're right, but I still think he's rotten to the core." Hermione shrugs before standing. "I'm going to get a drink and try to enjoy myself. Ginny, are you coming?" The redhead stands as well, leaving me on the couch alone and I start to fear I've said something wrong. "It was nice seeing you, Heidi. We'll see you, later." They head off in the direction of the table filled with drinks and I contemplate my options. I look around the room at all of the different faces and see most of everyone locked in conversation with friends, Zahara included, and I feel out of place. I have no group to fit into. I have acquaintances, people I could talk to if I really wanted, but I would feel awkward inserting myself where I don't belong. I check to make sure Zahara is preoccupied with Adrian before making my way across the common room to the exit. I need some peace and quiet and I know I won't get that here. Not for a long while, anyway. I'm almost to the door when I'm stopped by someone calling my name.

"Leaving so soon?" I turn to see none other than Draco Malfoy himself. My eyes flicker over his shoulder and I see Pansy still standing by the fireplace with a few of her girlfriends around her. Her mouth is moving in conversation, but her eyes are on the blonde in front of me.

"I'm not really one for parties." I turn to leave, feeling uncomfortable under the Slytherin girl's stare, but I feel a hand catch my wrist.

"Why not stay for a little bit? These things aren't so bad once you've had a few drinks. I could go get you one." Draco's grey-blue eyes bore down into me, but I shake my head.

"No, thanks, though. I'll see you, later." I wave a hand without much enthusiasm as I make my way out the door and into the corridor.

**DRACO**

"Got turned down by the bookworm, did you, Draco?" Zabini taunts with a childish grin on his face as I continue to stare at the door where the brunette had just disappeared. I want to ignore him, his joke annoying me to no end.

"Shut up, Blaise." I stare after the girl for a second longer before shaking my head of it. I don't know what's gotten into me and I'm not sure why I feel a pull towards her. My stomach turns with the foreign feelings and I know at this point only one thing will make me feel better. I walk over to the small table set up in the corner of the common room and pour myself a cup of Ogden's firewhisky. I down it, grimacing slightly at the way it burns all the way down my throat. 

"Draco, why don't you come finish our conversation?" Pansy calls out and my face contorts with irritation. Someone is always trying to pull my attention. Someone is always trying to talk to me about trivial topics I care nothing for. There's more on my mind than this term's courses and who's teaching what classes. I don't care about who's dating who or who got into a fight over the summer. 

"What do you want to talk about, Pansy?" There's no hiding the exacerbated tone in my voice as she comes closer, leaving her girlfriends behind by the fireplace. She looks good tonight, I can't deny it. She's got an ass that fits in the palm of your hand so perfect it should be a sin, but she's never had an original thought in her life. That's what interests me more than a tight body. That's what holds my attention. A curious mind. They're so rare these days. Sometimes I wish she would just give up already, but I know that would mean I would have to stop feeding into her obsession. A part of me enjoys her attention too much for that, even if the feelings are not reciprocated.

"What's gotten into you?" She questions when she catches my tone. 

"Nothing, Pans, I think I'm going to get some air." Her arms cross over her chest. "It's stuffy as hell in here." 

"Do you want some company?" I know she has other things on her mind with that suggestion, but I'm in no mood. 

"Not tonight." I reach out and take her chin in my hand before leaning in to press a chaste kiss to the corner of her lips. "Enjoy the party." I step back and head for the exit without another word.


	3. Secrets

**HEIDI**

An hour later, I find myself sitting in an empty classroom not far from the Slytherin common room. I had snuck off to the library to find a copy of the book I've been reading since I'd left my own behind in the dormitory. There's been little interruption, as it's late and most everyone is either at the welcome back party or sound asleep in their own dorms. The silence in the classroom fills me with peace as I flip through the pages of the book. With how quiet it is in here, you'd have no idea there's a party going on just down the corridor. The tale of dragons has been my free time entertainment for days, now and the thick book is my way to escape amongst all of the chaos. I've had a fascination with dragons since I was old enough to read and any book revolving around them, I add to my collection. This particular volume had been a gift from my father on my last birthday. I miss him. If only fate hadn't dealt us such a tragic hand, maybe I would actually see my father. 

I'm deep into the worn, stained pages when I'm startled by a noise behind me. I sit up straight in the chair and situate the black dress and turn to see Draco leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest. I let out a soft, slightly irritated sigh before folding down the page to mark my spot and closing the book.

"What are you doing in here? Don't you have a party to enjoy?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, but he does nothing except continue to stare. "You'll get into trouble wandering the halls at this hour." Draco shakes his head with a smirk.

"I'm a Prefect. You're the one that's suppose to be in your dormitory." I can't stop the eye roll and start to gather my things to head back, but Draco steps further into the room, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he goes.

"You won't talk to me at the party, you won't talk to me here. I'm starting to think you've got something against me, personally." There's a mischievous look on his face as he stares at me from under his long, pale lashes. "What's so wrong with a little bit of friendly conversation?" Draco's gaze is questioning and turns serious.

"Nothing at all." 

"So, is it just me, then?" I shrug my shoulders. "Well, there must be a reason." 

"I'm friends with Pansy."

"That means you can't speak to me?" I let out a huff. "What's Pansy got to do with it, anyway?"

"Aren't you two like, a thing?" That earns a laugh from him. 

"Not hardly. She's a friend." I raise a brow, not believing that for a moment. "Okay, maybe she's not just a friend, but we aren't exclusive, if that's what you're insinuating. It's a mutual decision." 

"Sure," Maybe if I keep giving him short answers, he'll leave me be. Draco takes a few steps closer, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze flickering down to the book clutched in my hands.

"What are you reading?" 

"A book about dragons. My father gave it to me. Not this copy, this is from the library. I forgot mine in my room." Why am I giving him any kind of explanation? Maybe it's the way he keeps looking at me. Maybe it's because I feel awkward standing here alone with him. I tend to ramble about nonsense when I'm uncomfortable and it just so happens that I could talk to anyone about books. Even someone as daft as Malfoy.

"Can I see it?" Draco holds a hand out. I hesitate, but pass it to him, anyway. I watch close as he scans over the cover before flipping through the pages. There's sketched illustrations every few pages and he stops when he sees one to inspect the art. "You like dragons?" 

"They're my favorite." That causes him to cock an eyebrow as he turns his attention from the page to me. 

"Why so?" I consider his question for a moment. There's many reasons why the terrifying, winged creatures that rule the sky fill me with wonder and joy. 

"They're so misunderstood. When anyone speaks of dragons, it's about how they're ferocious and viscious. A dragon can't be tamed, you see, they're too wild, too smart. We see them as horrifying because we can't keep them locked away. Anyone who gets too close, gets burned, or worse."

I think back to being a child, sitting at the piano playing the Dragon's Dance over and over again while Mistress Owler stood over me. I dreaded playing the stupid song, I thought it was so silly, but then I made up a story to go along with the music. A story about fierce warrior dragons who burned cities and killed all of the bad guys who tried to hurt little girls. It was my escape. Draco slides into the chair one away from my own, making sure not to get too close as I speak. 

"When I was a little girl, my father use to tell me about the wonders that were dragons. He told me that in the wild, they aren't all that scary. They're capable of intense feeling, of love, of agony. They're only aggressive when they feel threatened, when their families are threatened. He told me that if dragons could speak a common tongue, they'd rule the earth instead of humans." I pull myself out of the memory inside my own head and clear my throat. I hadn't intended to get so carried away, but it felt good to speak of something I'm passionate about, for once. It was stupid to lose my head even if it was just for a moment.

"My father told me they had unnaturally little brains for their size, that they couldn't distinguish between what was food and what wasn't. He said they only had one thing in mind all the time, hunger." I scrunch my brows as I think that over. 

"They're highly intelligent creatures, Malfoy. Your father doesn't know anything." 

"No need to throw punches, Scarlet, I was just telling you what I was told as a kid. I don't believe everything my father says." Draco passes the book back across the tabletop and holds my gaze for a moment. "Has anyone ever told you that you're fascinating?" 

"What a stupid thing to say," I snap. I can feel the shield I keep so firmly in place sliding itself around me. I push back the chair from the table and stand. 

"Well, that's awfully rude of you to say." 

"I should get back." I look at the antique clock by the door, ignoring his statement, and see it's nearing one in the morning. I've got to get some sleep. I've got to get away from the silver haired Slytherin beside me. Nothing good can come from being in a dark classroom alone with someone like him. 

"You don't have to go running off, Scarlet." Draco stands as well and takes a step closer, but I hold a hand out to stop him. "What's your problem?" 

"I don't have a problem, Malfoy." I say his name like a sour taste on my tongue. I go to step past for the door, but he takes a step to the side to stop me. "Please, move out of my way." 

"Why don't you have any friends?" The question catches me off guard, so much so that I almost run straight into him as he moves.

"Now, who's being rude?" 

"I suppose I am. Answer the question." 

"I have plenty of friends." I look up at him and keep my tone even. Who does he think he is interrupting the peace and quiet? He chose to come barging in here and now he's asking me questions that are none of his business. Is it the fact that I let my walls slip that has me feeling irritated?

"Zahara is not plenty of friends. She's one person." 

"Whatever, Malfoy. Move over." I try to step around him once again, but he sidesteps and stops me just like the first time. "What is your problem? Let me by." 

"I like talking to you. You've got an interesting mind." In a bold move, Draco reaches up and taps his index finger against my temple. I shy back to avoid the contact which only causes him to laugh. "Lighten up a little, would you?" 

"Malfoy," His expression is filled with amusement. He's enjoying this. "I would like to go to bed, if you don't mind." 

"I do mind. I want to know more about these dragons." I furrow my brows and shove the book into his chest with as much force as I can muster with our close proximity. That causes him to stumble backwards, so I make my move and slip past, the tale of dragons left behind in his hands.

"Read a book." I call out over my shoulder.

"Same time tomorrow?" I hear him tease as I slip through the door which only earns an eyeroll from me.

Once I make it back, I see the party has mostly come to an end. A few stragglers loiter about the common room and I speed past them all up the stone staircase to my room. I find Zahara curled up on her side, but her eyes open when I slip inside. Andromeda sleeps peacefully in the bed by the window, the moon shining in through the opened curtains illuminating her face.

"Where did you disappear to?" Zahara whispers out while sitting up. I pad across the thick, ornately designed rug to her bed where I climb up and toss my shoes down.

"I wasn't feeling up for a party, so I went somewhere quiet to read. How'd it go with Adrian?" A soft smile spreads across her face and I can't help but think how beautiful she looks with all of her makeup removed and her hair pulled back with a black ribbon.

"I had so much fun and I think he did, too. We're going to have a picnic by the lake on Sunday." I crawl off the bed and slip my arms from the dress while pushing it down, feeling no shame changing in front of my best friend.

"I hope it goes well." I tell her as she pulls the blankets back up around her shoulders.

"He kissed me, too." I can hear the excitement in her voice as I pull on a pair of silk pajamas in the color of our house.

"That was bold of him. I'm shocked he beat you to it." She giggles like a little girl. 

"He really is the sweetest. He spent the summer in the city with family and it seems he's really grown up since last semester. He's not at all the immature bloke who use to jinx first years."

"For your sake, I'll keep my fingers crossed. We better get some sleep. We can talk about Adrian over breakfast." 

"You're right, goodnight." Zahara whispers out. 

As I rest my head on the pillow, my mind wanders to the conversation with Draco. I'm not sure why I didn't mentioned it to Zahara, but for some reason it's a topic I want to keep to myself. I stare up at the ceiling for quite a while. I know Zahara has fallen asleep by the even breathing coming from her corner of the room.

My heart drops into my stomach when, out of no where, an all too familiar sensation creeps up my spine to the back of my neck. The tingling is subtle at first, but gets more intense at a rapid pace until I'm gripping the sheets in my hands, willing the pain to subside. It's like a burning sensation. It fills my body with a scorching sensation. I try to keep quiet, to not wake my two roommates, but it's nearly impossible the longer it drags on. The muscles in my body stiffen as the pain extends to my legs and arms. It's like being electrocuted by Muggle electricity, or struck by lightening. If I had to guess, lightening feels just like this. I can't move, can barely breathe, can only lay there and writhe in misery. 

You'd think after all of these years, I would be accustom to this, this scolding I guess you could call it, but I'm not. I have to be better. I'm not sure exactly what I did to slip up, but something has angered him. It's a breath taking kind of pain that leaves me foggy and I know tomorrow will be a challenge. It takes a few moments for the pain to dissipate, but when it does I'm left feeling exhausted and it's all I can do to hold my eyes open to regain my breath. Everything aches from the crown of my head to the joints in my toes. I feel spent. The moment my muscles relax, I'm unconscious to the world. 

**DRACO**

I pace the floor beside my bed with the book open between my hands. The book Heidi had shoved at me before she left me in the classroom. The way she had shut down just as she started to open up has me even more curious about her than I was before. There's something unusual about the way her mind works and I want to know all there is to know. For just a moment, I was distracted from my own nightmare of a life while she spoke of a topic she's passionate about. I don't know what it is about dragons that's so interesting, but I'll find out one way or the other.

"You'll wear a hole in the floor." Blaise croaks out from his bed, his voice full of sleep. I ignore his comment, but he sits up and stares at me with barely opened eyes. 

"What?" I snap, doing my best to keep my voice down to keep from waking Adrian in the next bed over.

"You okay?" I'm surprised by the genuine concern in his voice.

"Fine," I mumble while halting the pacing and sitting on the edge of the bed to pull the dress shoes from my feet. I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I've been staring at the pages of that book looking for even a second of escape since I got back.

"You seem unusually irritable." Blaise tries to keep his voice low as he glances over at our dormmate. "Even for you." The statement forces me to think about what lies head. I wish I could tell Blaise. He's one of my closest friends, but I've been sworn to secrecy. I can't tell a soul, or else. I can't imagine how much of a relief it would be to get it all off my chest.

"I'm fine," I repeat and lay back in my bed with my arms crossed over my stomach, my eyes burning a hole through the stone ceiling. I've got to accept that this miserable life of solitude is all the future holds for me. Even my best friends won't understand the troubles on my mind. They want to talk of girls and parties and having fun. I've got no time for fun. Not anymore.

**HEIDI**

When I wake up on the first morning of classes, I can feel the heaviness of fatigue in my limbs. The soreness in my muscles still lingers from the episode after the Slytherin party over a day later. Sunday had been uneventful, as most everyone was recovering from massive hangovers. The common room was filled with napping bodies in front of the fireplace for most of the day, therefore I spent my time getting my books and materials ready for classes. I sit up in bed and stretch while doing a quick assessment of how each limb feels. Zahara sits on the floor in front of the full length mirror, her makeup strewn out in front of her in a mess. Andromeda must already be in the Great Hall because her corner of the room is pristine with a made bed and she's no where to be found.

"Morning, sleepy." She greets while looking at me in the glass, a tube of lipstick clutched in her hand. I look at the antique clock and see I only have ten minutes to get ready if I want to have time for breakfast. It's not like me to oversleep, but I guess there's a first time for everything.

"I couldn't fall asleep last night." 

"I thought I heard you tossing and turning. Are yo feeling okay?" Zahara asks while putting all of her makeup to the side, turning her full attention to me. 

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I slip from the bed and head for the wardrobe to pull out a set of robes. 

"I thought I heard you talking in your sleep." She shrugs. "It sounded like you were having a nightmare." I don't recall what she's remembering. I'm not sure if I dreamed at all, but I must have. I couldn't fall asleep, but once I had, I slept like the dead.

"Are you about ready?" I ask her to change the subject as I slip on a pair of simple jeans and a sweater before pulling my robes on over the top. I manage to situate my hair with a few passes of a comb and decide that's good enough. I've got no one to impress and I can work on detangling the mess this evening. "I'm starving and we don't have much time." 

"Yep," Zahara slips into a pair of boots and heads for the door. "Lets get going." 

We take our usual spots at the Slytherin table across from Pansy and Andromeda and load our plates. I feel slightly rushed from the late start which has my mood thrown. Zahara strikes up conversation with Pansy and Andromeda, but I keep to myself, feeling out of sorts and uninterested in small talk this morning. As I listen to the three girls ramble on about the weekend's festivities, I look to the door and see Malfoy, Pucey, and Zabini walk in. Draco's gaze meets mine, but I quickly divert my gaze to my plate. 

I finish eating in record time and collect my things before leaving the Great Hall without Zahara, who hadn't been ready once Adrian popped in and took a seat beside her instead of in his usual place. So, I make my way to Charms by myself. Once there, I choose a seat second row from the back and go over what I've brought to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. The chair beside me slides out with a squeaking noise and in it slips a blonde haired, grey eyed boy. I sigh inwardly and do my best to ignore him as a sharp tingle ripples through the back of my neck. I close my eyes tight, trying to ward off the pain. I won't be able to focus in class if it goes on for too long.

"What do you want?" I glare at Malfoy, taking out my anger over the pain on him. I can feel my heart rate increase as the anxiety takes hold. I can handle this when I'm in my bed with the lights off where no one is looking at me, but in a classroom that's about to be filled, I'm not so sure.

"What's with the bad mood?" His eyebrows are furrowed.

"I didn't sleep much. Just leave me alone." I stand without giving him a chance to speak and take a seat across the room from him. Throughout the entire class, all he does is stare at me with a curious look on his face. I try to keep my attention on the lesson Professor Flitwick is teaching, but it's next to impossible after feeling the burning sensation. It's his way of communicating with me. I've done something to upset the Dark Lord and he scorches my skin as punishment.

After Charms class, I have a free period, so I make my way to Professor Snape's chambers. Snape is one of the very few who knows my secrets. He knows every detail of my life. He probably knows more than I even know about myself. His job is to keep me safe and on the right track while I'm at Hogwarts. As I enter his classroom, he's sitting at his desk rifling through a stack of papers, the permanent look of disdain firmly in place on his face.

"Hey," I mumble as I step closer and set my books down on one of the empty desks. He looks up briefly and mutters his own greeting under his breath.

"To what do I owe a visit on the first day of class?" Snape raises a brow as he sets the parchment aside and turns his full attention to me.

"I think I've done something to upset him." I keep my voice low and my words vague so if anyone is listening in, they'll have no clue what we are speaking of. The statement seems to interest Snape.

"How so?" 

"My neck, it burns. It's been burning since Saturday." I slide into the chair of the desk and look down at my hands. "Not much on Sunday, but it happened again when I was in Charms class this morning. It wasn't as bad as it had been Saturday evening, but it was unmistakable. It felt terrible." Snape thinks that over for a moment. 

"What's changed?" He asks in a sharp voice and I struggle to find the right words. "Think, Heidi."

"There's nothing significant. Nothing that I can think of, anyway." I shrug. "We've only been back a few days. I haven't had time to get into any trouble."

"Have you spoken with anyone? Given anyone any information you shouldn't have?" Snape stands from his seat and comes around to rest on the wood top of his desk. 

"No, I," I pause as I think that one over. It started just after I got back to the dormitories after speaking with Draco. Realization spreads across my face. "I spoke with Draco Malfoy shortly beforehand." Snape nods his head up and down, his expression giving nothing away.

"What did you two speak about?" 

"It was nothing, really. He was asking me about dragons. I told him a few of the stories my father use to tell me. I can't imagine the Dark Lord would seek out to punish me after something so trivial."

"Nothing the Dark Lord does is trivial, Heidi." Snape holds my gaze. "I think you know that."

"What do I do? How do I make up for whatever I've done?" I can feel the anxiety seeping into my bones. "I didn't mean to upset him. I didn't even realize that's what I was doing." My heart begins to race in my chest as I think of the consequences. 

"I think it's best if you don't have anymore conversations with the Malfoy boy." A bitter laugh leaves my throat.

"I'm not the one seeking him out. Since we've been back, he always seems to just be there on the outskirts of everything I'm doing. I've tried to tell him to leave me alone, but he isn't listening." I whisper out.

"Malfoy isn't one who takes no for an answer. Taking orders isn't his strong suit." Snape is quiet for a moment as he thinks. "I think it's time we start considering Occlumency, Heidi." My eyes widen at the suggestion. It's not the first time Snape has brought it up, but I've always refused. If the Dark Lord can't see inside my mind whenever he pleases, he may think I'm keeping things hidden.

"I can't, I can't anger him further. I'm not ready. I'll convince Malfoy to leave me be. I'll do whatever I have to to make things right." Snape gives me a long, hard stare before nodding sharply. 

"Very well. You better get going, there's not much time before your next class." Snape dismisses me with a wave of his hand and heads back to the stack of assignments awaiting his attention on the desk. I make my way towards the Slytherin common room with a heavy mind. I've got a half hour to gather my Arithmancy books. When I enter the common room, I head towards the stairs to the girls dormitory, but I'm stopped by a voice near the fireplace.

"He's got you, hasn't he?" I turn to see none other than Malfoy leaning against the fireplace with a sullen expression written all over his face. His demeanor is completely different from every other time he's approached me. The usual arrogance is no where to be found. In it's place is a boy defeated.

"What are you talking about?" My voice is full of surprise, but in the back of my mind, I know exactly what he's asking and my heart starts racing. I look around to make sure no one is within listening distance and when I accept that we're indeed alone, I turn back to him.

"You know exactly what I mean, Scarlet. The Dark Lord. Somehow you're wrapped up in him, aren't you?" I refuse to answer and keep my gaze focused on the flames. I'm not prepared for this. No one has ever asked me anything of the sort and I don't have a rehearsed answer ready. After all these years of being so careful, within just three days, he's figured it out and for some reason I can't come up with a believable lie to get him off my back.

"Malfoy, I really don't know what you're talking about, but for the last time, please leave me be. I'm not going to ask again." I turn to leave, but he continues on as if I hadn't said anything at all.

"We all have secrets, Heidi. If you'd just talk to me you'd know I have them, too."

"Just stop it, Malfoy. You have no idea what you're trying to get yourself into." My eyes snap to his and I hold his gaze, willing him to stop with every ounce of me. My heart continues to race and my palms start to sweat as the dull throb in the base of my neck rears it's ugly head, this time much more intense than before.

"I want to know," Draco voice is filled with need, but my head starts to swim and I latch onto the banister of the stairs to keep myself upright. It's only then, the blonde realizes something is wrong and he moves towards me.

"Find Snape." I whisper out as my vision goes black and the last sensation I feel is lightening-like electricity flowing through the base of my neck.


	4. Occlumency

**SCARLET MANOR  
NINE YEARS EARLIER**

The dining room is silent as a crypt as the group of people stand in front of the fireplace. A mother, a father, and two men dressed in black. Worry and fear is written across both the parent's faces. Whether it be for their eight year old daughter or for themselves, it's hard to tell. Antonin Dolohov and Fenrir Greyback fill the room with pulsing anxiousness. Just their appearances is enough to strike terror in anyone and with their notorious reputations preceding them, it's enough to send even the rats scurrying. The moment the two had entered, the house elves made themselves scarce. Even the mice couldn't bear being in their presence.

"She's just a girl, Dolohov," The father, Emeric Scarlet, speaks up as he holds his wife's hand tightly in his own. "She's only eight. Surely, the Dark Lord will understand that she's not ready for this." 

"You swore an oath when you took over the Scarlet estate, now it's time to seal that oath in blood." Greyback speaks this time. The words come out as more of a growl and Emeric takes a step backwards out of fear. 

"She's our daughter, our only daughter, can't you understand?" 

"Are you denying your lord his right? Am I hearing you correctly?" Antonin's tone leaves little room for argument. Of course, Emeric knows there's no way around the vow his father and uncle swore. In the Dark Lord's time of need, the Scarlet's would provide a daughter to him. A pureblood witch. In return, the Scarlet's would be forgiven for their betrayal in the first wizarding war when Emeric's father refused to fight alongside the Death Eaters. Many lives were saved that day. If it weren't for the oath, every man, woman, and child with the Scarlet last name would have been wiped off of the face of the earth in one fell swoop. It all would have been over in mere minutes.

"Of course not." 

"It's time to pay up. Where is she?" Greyback takes a step towards the door that leads to the staircase. No one would consider Emeric Scarlet to be a brave man. In fact, he's always been quite the opposite. When he took over the Scarlet estate, nothing haunted him more than the thought that his children, his daughter, could potentially be handed over to the Dark Lord to do as he pleased. It kept him up most nights, but he didn't have the courage to do anything about it. His wife, Cordelia, refused to discuss it. Carrying Heidi was the hardest challenge she had ever come through and the thought of what was to come was too much to bear, so she distanced herself from the child she so desperately wished for.

It was no secret that the Scarlet surname was dwindling. It was becoming harder and harder for the women to conceive and some believed there had been a curse placed on anyone born into the family. Because of this, the Dark Lord knew he needed to strike the next time an opportunity came about. It was possible with each birth of a magical child that it would be the last one and the likelihood that the Dark Lord could produce an heir with said witch slimmed. Despite Emeric's lack of courage, it wasn't unknown that the Scarlet's possessed incredible genes. The man of the house was incredibly intelligent and excelled in his work with creating spells and potions for the ministry. If it weren't for that, the cause could easily find another witch.

"I'll go get her." The mother speaks as she looks to her husband. His face is slack, the color drained, making him look pale as a ghost. With a squeeze to her husband's hand, Cordelia heads for the staircase. The thought of a terrifyingly hideous face such as Fenrir Greyback waking her sleeping daughter in the middle of the night is too awful to allow.

"You've got five minutes to return." The half breed snaps in her direction, his unusually pointed teeth sending a shiver down her spine.

"Of course," Cordelia hurries from the room, almost feeling guilty for leaving her husband alone with the two Death Eaters.

Cordelia reaches Heidi's bedroom in record time and when she opens the door, she sees the raven haired little girl sound asleep on her side, the blankets pulled up around her face. Her eyes burn with unshed tears as she stares at her daughter. 

"We have no choice," She whispers out without waking the girl. "I'm so sorry, darling. This isn't at all the life I wanted for you." Without another word, Cordelia makes her way to the bed and pulls the blankets back to reveal a pair of pajamas with the emblem of the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team all over. the material Her daughter loves Quidditch. "Wake up, my sweet." Cordelia whispers in her daughter's ear as she lifts her from the bed. The sleeping eight year old instinctively winds her legs around her mother's waist while snuggling into her neck, her eyes still closed. "Heidi, mummy needs you to wake up, now." 

"Hmm," The little girl mumbles, fighting to stay under the safety of sleep for just a bit longer. "Mummy, what time is it?" It's been a long time since Cordelia has held her daughter this way. She's grown heavy in the last few years, too heavy and long for the dainty blonde to carry around, but tonight she doesn't care. Tonight, she will hold her daughter just like this even if her muscles want to give out afterwards. 

"It's late, but don't you worry. We've got very important guests and I need you to be a good little girl, okay?" Cordelia's voice shakes as she heads for the door. Her five minute time limit is slowly ticking down.

"Who is it?" Heidi reaches up with one of her hands and rubs her eyes. 

"Some of your father's friends. I need you to do something for me, Heidi." Cordelia's free hand runs up to brush over her daughter's back. "I need you to be really brave." 

"What's wrong, mum?" Heidi pulls back from her mother's shoulder and looks into her face. Her expression is too smart, too knowing for a girl her age, but she sees that all is not well. Cordelia forces a smile and continues on towards the stairs.

"Nothing at all, my dear." The dining hall is much as Cordelia had left it. Solemn and dark. Heidi stares at the two strangers with furrowed brows as they get closer. She finds them interesting, but terrifying. 

"Hold out your hand, Scarlet." Dolohov commands as he steps closer to Emeric. He looks at his wife and daughter with uncertainty before doing as the Death Eater demanded. Dolohov takes out his wand and mutters a few words that can't be heard and a deep laceration appears on Emeric's palm. He winces as the blood begins to pour from the wound and Cordelia has to look away to keep from being sick. "Bring her over here." Cordelia hesitates, her grip tightening on the little girl. That's all it takes for Greyback to lose his patience. The Were steps closer and rips the girl from her mother's arms. Heidi shouts and reaches back for the blonde, but Greyback is quicker.

"Please, don't hurt her." Cordelia begs while holding her hand out, her eyes filling with tears. Dolohov reaches into his robe and pulls out a vial with a few drops of a red substance inside. Blood. The Dark Lord's blood, Cordelia realizes.

"This sacrifice seals the vow. With your blood, you will be bound until the end of your days. If you find yourself somehow capable of attempting to break this bond, it will be the end of you and anyone who shares your name." Dolohov says the words as he holds Emeric's hand over the vial. His blood pours into the vial before he's shoved backwards and the Death Eater turns his attention to the little girl kicking and screaming in Greyback's arms. Her face is red and wet and the sound of her high pitched cries is enough to break her mother and father's hearts into pieces. "Give me her hand." Dolohov tells his partner and with little difficulty, Greyback holds the little girl's body under his arm with one hand and her wrist with the other. The same spell is cast on her palm and her screams increase in volume as the blood begins to pour. 

It's all Emeric can do to stand here and listen. She doesn't understand. She doesn't understand why these men are in her home. There's nothing he can do to stop it. When he turns to look at his wife, she's dropped to her knees in the center of the dining hall, her face held in her hands as her shoulders shake with sobs. It's all over in seconds. Greyback sets Heidi down on her own two feet and she crawls across the stone floor to her father's feet where he bends down to pick her up. She holds her hand against her chest, her cries filling his ears and nearly cracking open his skull. The Holyhead Harpies pajamas are stained red and ruined. Dolohov mutters a few more words and with a flick of his wand, the vial filled with blood bursts into flames in the palm of his hand and burns into ashes before their eyes.

"Is it done, then?" Emeric snaps out as Heidi trembles in his arms, her cheek now resting against his shoulder. Her cries have quieted, but the tears are still flowing. The same can be said for Cordelia who hasn't moved from her place on the floor. All she does is stare over at her daughter with horror written all over her face.

"It's done." Dolohov turns to Greyback and nods his head. "We'll be visiting you every now and then. We'll send word ahead of time." Emeric does nothing but nod his head as the two head for the door. The minute they are off the grounds, Emeric sets his daughter onto the floor and pulls out his own wand. With a quick swish, the cut on her palm seals itself and that seems to calm her some. 

"I'm so sorry." Emeric whispers as he leans down and presses a kiss to the top of her head. That was the day the apologies began. It was also the last time Heidi ever saw her mother shed tears or showed any love for her at all. That day was the start of an empty life filled with nothing but life lessons.

**DRACO  
PRESENT DAY**

"She was fine one minute and falling to the ground the next. I didn't do anything to her, I swear." I tell Snape as he eyes the brunette resting limp in my arms. The melancholy professor had been surprised when I had pounded on his door at the late hour, Heidi clutched in my arms as best as I could, but when he saw her, her face pained with closed eyes and rapid breathing, all confusion was erased.

"Hand her over." Snape snaps as he reaches for Heidi and lifts her with ease like she weighs nothing at all.

"She asked for you." Snape says nothing as I follow him in without an invitation and his head turns, his eyebrows furrowed.

"That will do, Draco. Head back to your dormitory immediately." I look down at the brunette as he lays her down on the black velvet sofa as if she's the most delicate, precious thing in the world to him and I can't wrap my head around it. Snape is cold, sometimes menacingly so, but here he is treating this student like his own child.

"I would like to stay."

"This isn't your any of your business, Malfoy. Now, head back and don't speak to anyone of this." There's no room for argument in his tone, but I've never been one to take orders sitting down. Snape leans down and brushes a hand over her forehead before testing her pulse points at the neck and wrist.

"It's him, isn't it? It's got something to do with Voldemort." Snape stands from his kneeling position and stalks over to me, his finger pointed in accusations.

"Unless you would like to be expelled I suggest you keep your mouth shut." He sneers, his eyes flashing wild. I have no wit to speak of at the threat and take a step back. Snape turns on his heel, accepting my silence as compliance, and starts searching through his bottled potions that line the walls.

"I was trying to get to know her better." I mumble out as I step closer to Heidi. For the moment it seems Snape is allowing my presence and I'm grateful. "Was this my fault?" Heidi had tried to ignore me, had tried to tell me to leave her alone and I hadn't listened. No wonder they all think I'm a monster.

"No," I hadn't expected the professor to answer. I had more or less been speaking just to keep the room from going silent. "Not entirely." My stomach turns.

"Who is she?" I question, hoping I can get a few more answers out of him before he shuts me out.

"Heidi Scarlet. You know exactly who she is."

"You know what I mean, Professor. Who is she really?" Snape finds the bottle he had been searching for and steps back over where Heidi rests. He pulls out a dropper and starts placing tiny, blue shimmering drops of liquid along her body.

"She's someone very special." There's something in his voice I can't place, could it be, adoration?

I accept that he's not going to give me a specific answer, and as I do Heidi begins to stir. I don't miss the way her eyes flutter open in a wild panic, but when she lands eyes on the dark haired teacher before her, a kind of comfort creeps in and she relaxes. He mumbles kind words that I can't make out from here, and I've never been more confused in my entire life.

**HEIDI**

The next thing I remember, my limbs start to work again and dread fills my body. There's voices, distorted voices as if I'm underwater. I can't make out the words. I start to panic when I feel a presence near me, so close I can reach out and touch it, but when I open my eyes I see a foggy figure cloaked in black. After a second of fear, my eyes focus and I see its Professor Snape. My body instantly relaxes. Snape is safe. Draco had listened. Thank Merlin for that. The severe pain I felt before I fainted has dulled to a bearable throb. My limbs feel shaky, like gelatin, and as I try to sit up, my vision clouds again. Snape assists me in getting upright, his hands holding my upper arms for support.

"That's it." He whispers out, his voice a low baritone. I slowly lay back down and turn my head to see who else is in the room with us. "A bad one this time, hm?" He asks as I wince at the lingering pins and needles in my extremities.

"It came on quickly. I'm not sure what the trigger was." My voice is unsteady, but I manage to get my bearings after a moment.

"Could it have anything to do with the person standing behind me?" Snape's voice is full of disdain as I look over his shoulder and see Draco standing almost awkwardly not far from where I sit.

"I don't know." I breathe out, feeling nauseas. I'm surprised to see the silver haired boy. I wouldn't blame him if he ran the moment he dumped me at Snape's door.

"We need to talk about the lessons." Snape pulls my attention back to him as Draco takes a seat in one of the leather armchairs. There's curiosity written all over his face. He leans forward, his elbows on his knees as he watches me.

"You know why I've said no before." I tell him, my heart rate picking up.

"Occlumency is the only thing that can keep him out, now." Snape's voice is firm, as if telling me even if I say no, it will happen anyway. "It's time we start practicing." Snape's dark eyes flicker over to where Draco sits. "You remember what I said to you earlier, correct?" Draco snaps to attention, his blue gaze fixing on his teacher.

"I'll be expelled if I speak of this to anyone." Draco speaks and I'm confused as to why he's still here at all, but it's nice to know he's got a reason to keep anything he hears to himself.

"Will you agree, please?" I hold Snape's gaze for a few seconds as I think over my options. Every time one of these episodes happen, I disappear into a place I can't remember when I wake. Each time I come back to the land of the conscious, I can feel a little piece of myself stay behind. I fear one day there will be nothing left. Snape knows of this, which is why he's pushed me to start Occlumency lessons since last summer. "The two of you seem to be a dangerous mix that the Dark Lord does not appreciate. It's only going to get worse. The pain use to be bearable, but look at where you are, now. Before you know it, it will be continuous and it will be blinding. I don't want that for you." Snape reaches up and brushes the hair out of my face. "We have run out of options." 

"Okay," I whisper without meeting his eyes, not having the energy to fight him any longer. I'm also fearful I might lose all of who I am before I even see my seventh year at Hogwarts.

"Tomorrow, then." Snape stands. "During your free period tomorrow, we will begin." I nod and look over at Draco. His eyes are filled with something, like sadness, but he pulls himself together when he catches my gaze. I'm not sure who this person is. The Draco I'm coming to know is not the same person that's existed around me for the last six years. "Draco,"

"Yes, professor?" Draco stands from his seat and brushes his hands down the front of his pants.

"Since you were so keen to stay, I trust you can get Miss Scarlet back to your dormitory unscathed?"

"Of course." Snape makes his way back over to the wall of potions and plucks another vial out.

"Take this just before you sleep. It's a potent mind barrier." He hands me the potion and I pocket it. "You need some proper rest." He helps me stand and nudges me towards Draco who extends a hand. I hesitate for a moment, but take it anyway. My legs still feel like jelly and without a hand to hold onto, I'm afraid I might drop to the stone floor. 

The two of us walk in relative silence down the stone corridor at a slow pace, neither of us rushed to get back to the Slytherin chambers. feel almost awkward beside him, not sure how much he knows about what happened or what he and Snape discussed while I was lost inside my own mind. I had wanted to keep myself to myself, but for the first time since starting at Hogwarts, that plan has failed. 

"Can I ask—"

"No," I snap when Draco tries to breach a conversation. "You may not ask." A few more steps with no words exchanged between us. His questions will only get us both into trouble.

"I know you have this idea of me," He mumbles out while keeping his gaze focused ahead. "But I'm not really that person."

"Oh?" I want to laugh. I'm exhausted by now and the thought of him trying to defend his behavior after all these years is amusing to me.

"Don't most people have parts of themselves they keep hidden?" When he looks over at me, it's obvious he's referencing the fact that I have secrets of my own.

"I guess you're right." I'm startled when his hand brushes against mine, not as if to take it into a handhold, but a way of letting me know he's here. Something about that simple gesture causes a tightness in my chest. I need to get some rest because I feel like I'm losing my mind. I need to create some distance between myself and Malfoy before it gets both of us into even more serious trouble.

The common room is empty as we make our way inside and we part ways to head to our separate dormitories with a quick goodnight. Zahara is sleeping peacefully when I enter and I do my best to avoid waking her as I trade my robes for pajamas, drink down the vile potion Snape had forced me to take, and climb into bed.

•••

"You have got to concentrate, Heidi." Snape scolds as he penetrates my mind for what feels like the hundredth time. We've been at our first lesson for over an hour, but I don't seem to be making any headway.

"I am concentrating as hard as I can. My brain feels like it's going to burst. If you would just give me a moment to rest," I plead with him. Maybe a short break would do me some good.

"I understand it's going to be difficult, but you have to realize that one day your life and the lives of those you care about may depend on you mastering this. We don't have much time. Now, you're smarter than most in your class, so this should be easy for you." I nod and do my best to focus. Snape tries one more time and once again, he is able to view every thought and memory I've ever had. I let out a frustrated sigh and slam my palm down on the desk. "Heidi," His voice is softer after a moment of silence. I look up at him, defeat evident on my face.

"Yes?" I breathe out.

"You know that you can't have anymore conversations with Malfoy until you master this." Snape's tone is serious. "Not after what he's seen. Draco mastered Occlumency years ago, so his mind is safe, but yours I'm afraid is far from it. From this far away, the Dark Lord won't be able to hear the words spoken, but he'll be able to see the images and those will be telling enough on their own. You must take precautions and keep the boy as far from your thoughts as possible, do you understand?" 

"I understand." 

"Lets start again." 

**DRACO**

As I make my way along the corridor of the seventh floor, my mind wanders back to Heidi, much like it has most of the day. I can't quite figure out what she's hiding, but I know her secret must be similar to my own. The distance she keeps between her and other people can only point to something so terrible she couldn't ever risk letting anyone find out. I know that feeling. I know what it's like to not be able to let anyone in because if they saw the things you keep hidden, you'd both be dead. Not only would my life come to an end, but the life of my parents. My mother. She's innocent in all of this, a truly good person who deserves better. She fell in love with a Death Eater and the rest is history. 

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have someone who understands, someone who doesn't expect anything from me. My own mother, who I always knew I could count on as a child, won't speak to me of any doubts or worries. That would be a sign of weakness and that's simply not allowed from a Malfoy. Without thinking, I run a hand over my left forearm over the fabric of my shirt and sigh to myself. The weight of the mark on my arm is heavy and some days I think it might pull me under once and for all. I could drown under this weight, this responsibility.

I step into the Room of Requirements with dread in the pit of my stomach and walk over to the Vanishing Cabinet. I run my fingers through my hair and tug on it at the roots, not sure where to even begin with the task at hand, knowing my life, and the lives of my family, depend on its success. There's not room for failure.

Failure means certain death.


	5. Fizzing Whizzbees

**HEIDI**

As I sit in the Great Hall reading a book and picking at some toast with marmalade, I'm pulled out of the story by Zahara plopping down on the bench beside me.

"Where've you been?" She questions as she unloads her Muggle Studies book and parchment to work on an assignment while she eats. "I feel like we haven't talked since the party."

"We've had class together, Zar." I roll my eyes at her dramatics.

"You know what I mean." Pansy and Millicent make their way over and take their usual seats across from us. "So," Zahara raises an eyebrow at me as if she's waiting on an explanation. I feel self conscious under the stare of the other two Slytherin girls.

"I've been with Snape during my free periods today." I hope the vague answers will appease her and it seems as if it has. I wish I could tell my best friend everything about me, but there are things she would never understand. Zahara comes from a wealthy line of witches and wizards, and she's never had to want for anything in her life. "How are things with Pucey?" I ask, trying my best to turn the conversation in a different direction. I look down towards the other end of the table to see Pucey in his usual spot with Blaise and Theodore. The only person missing is the silver haired boy who's been plaguing my mind.

"It's been great. Last night we snuck out after curfew and walked down to the Quidditch pitch and drank butter beer under the stars." There's a sparkle in her eye I've never seen before. "He's a real romantic."

"That sounds so sweet."

"Except I was back before you." She raises her brow once again, her homework forgotten. "Mind telling me who you spent your night with?"

"No one, Zar." If Draco Malfoy didn't have bad timing, he'd have no timing at all. As he enters the Great Hall, his eyes lock on me and he ignores the shouts from his friends and the exaggerated wave from Pansy across from me. He simply heads straight for where I sit and my stomach somersaults.

The tall, slender Slytherin is dressed head to toe in black and the look on his face is focused. He doesn't want to be messed with and he certainly doesn't want to engage in friendly conversation. When he reaches our spot, Pansy greets him with a flutter of her lashes and an overly sweet hello.

"Snape wants to speak with you." Draco leans down and mumbles the words into my ear loud enough for Zahara to hear, ignoring Pansy altogether. The look on Zahara's face is complete surprise when she sees us interacting.

"Now?" I ask as I close my novel.

"Preferably, I'll escort you." He stands up straight and waits for me to get my things together. I'm a whirlwind of nerves after risking a glance upward and seeing half of our tables eyes on me. Pansy wears an irritated scowl and Zahara just looks lost.

"Will you be in the common room after classes?" Zahara asks with a tinge of irritation in her voice.

"I promise," I reach out and squeeze her hand. "We'll talk in Divinations class." She nods her head, accepting my answer and I follow Draco back through the Great Hall and out the double doors. Once we are clear of prying eyes and ears, Draco's mouth curves into a smirk. It's then that I realize he's up to something. "What's this about?" I question while stopping in my tracks and putting my hand on my hip. The playful smirk doesn't relent and he motions with his hand to follow. With most of the students at lunch, the hallways are empty and no one catches us making our way to the front hall and through the door on the left of the grand staircase. "Draco, stop this. Where are we going?" I continue to follow him down a set of dimly lit stairs to another door. When we step through, we find ourselves outside the castle. Not far from where we stand, I see a blanket laid out on the grass under a fir tree. My head tilts to the side as I look over the setting. On the blanket sits an assortment of snacks and a jug of pumpkin juice.

"You won't talk to me, or you can't, I suppose, so I thought maybe we could sit out here and not talk." Draco reaches into the pocket of his robes and pulls out a book I recognize well. It's the same one I've been carrying with me. This one is in much better condition and looks like it came straight off the shelf of Flourish and Blotts. The tale of dragons. "Maybe, we could just read together." The look on his face tells me he's not sure of how I will react, almost like he's nervous.

"You came came up with this?" I motion towards the chocolate frogs and fizzing whizzbees laid out in front of us.

"I did," Draco stuffs his hands into his pockets and waits for my approval. Instead of saying anything else, I plop down onto the blanket and pop open a chocolate frog. I'm not sure what to say. We're not suppose to be together, but this is all so thoughtful it's hard to turn down. I can't imagine what the fallout would be if I insulted him when he's being so open.

"Well," I question him with a raised brow. "Are you going to stand there like you're daft or are you going to join me?" I pull out my copy of the book and turn to where I had left off.

A smile pulls at his lips as he sits down beside me and stretches his long legs out. He lowers himself further and rests his upper body on his elbow, his head on his hand, on the ground after placing the book in front of him and turning to the first page. I can't stop the twitch of my own lips at the thoughtfulness of all this.

As promised, Draco doesn't try to ask any questions or strike up conversation, instead we sit in a comfortable silence. For the first time, he looks relaxed, completely at ease. Every once in a while I'll catch his eyes on me, but each time he snaps his gaze away without a word.

•••

"Mind telling me what that was all about?" Zahara catches me off guard as she zooms into Divinations. I've not even realized she's come in until she's hovering over my shoulder and sliding into her usual seat beside me.

"What?" I play it off innocent enough, but she knows I'm up to something. I had spent our entire free period with Draco out on that blanket and for the first time in a long time, I feel at peace. Who knew it would be so short lived?

"Don't play innocent with me, Heidi Scarlet. Why on earth did Snape send Draco Malfoy after you?"

"I suppose they were together when Snape decided he needed to speak with me. I don't know, Zahara." I try to play it off like I'm clueless. She eyes me with suspicion and I know she isn't going to let this go.

"So, what was so important he couldn't wait until he got to the lunchroom?" I hold her gaze but say nothing. She lets out an exasperated sigh. "You know, the secrets are really getting old, Heidi. We're suppose to be best friends." I open my mouth to defend myself but Professor Trelawney enters the room and I close it. Zahara doesn't even look at me for the entirety of the class and I know I have some serious making up to do.

**DRACO**

"And how is everything going with you?" Snape asks as he stares at me from across the classroom, his arms crossed over his chest. "It's only been a few days, but you do know that time is of the essence. The sooner you find a solution, the quicker you can focus on your studies." That earns an annoyed eyeroll from me. "I've been doing my own research when I have the time. I haven't come up with anything solid so far, but as soon as I do I'll call for you." 

"Do you really think things are just going to go back to normal for me after this?" I ask the professor. The thought is ridiculous. Once this task is complete, there will just be a new one to take it's place inside my head. There's no escaping it. This is my life now. I'm a servant for the Dark Lord to command.

"I'm not naïve, Malfoy, please do not accuse me of being so. I know what this is. I know better than anyone, the grave situation that we're all in. Forgive me for assuming, but this is the first time you've ever had to take any kind of serious responsibility in your life, so let me enlighten you," Snape takes a few steps closer, his dark eyes narrowing. "You can not, will not, fall out of line. You will do as you are told and you will come to me for help when you need it. I don't want to see any of this Malfoy arrogance, do you understand me?" 

"I told you I would obey from the very beginning." 

"The Scarlet girl is a distraction. I think you realize that." The change in subject throws me. "I know what you're playing at and it needs to stop." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." I stare down at my hands clasped together on the desk in front of me. All I've thought about all evening is the afternoon we spent together reading. It was so simple, so unlike me, but it was a nice change of pace all the same. For the first time since I had learned of the task at hand over the summer, I wasn't thinking about the Vanishing Cabinet. 

"Don't play a fool," I can tell his patience is wearing thin. We've never had an easy relationship, but after he swore an Unbreakable Vow, it only seemed only to get worse. "I have more to worry about than just you, Malfoy. There are, whether you believe it or not, other people in my life that I have to look out for." 

"Heidi," I guess and that causes him to take several steps towards me, his eyes narrowing further. It all makes sense. The way she had asked for him in her time of need, the way he had handled her like a porcelain doll that might break at any moment. He cares for her.

"You don't have any idea what you're talking about." He seethes through gritted teeth. "You've been back for less than a week and we're already dealing with the consequences of your actions. Why? Because of your arrogance. You think you're entitled to an explanation, but I'm sorry to inform you that you are not. You're like a dog with a bone, just like your sorry excuse for a father." 

"Why are you looking out for her? What is she hiding?" The question has been eating me alive. I ignore the insult to my family because after all, he's right about my father. Lucius Malfoy's one track mind has gotten him into a lot of trouble over the years.

"It's time for you to go." Snape raises a hand and points at the closed door. "Stay away from the girl while you're at it." I hold his dark stare for a second longer before pushing back the chair and standing. 

"I'm just trying to help." I mumble before turning my back on him. "I'm not trying to cause anymore trouble, for any of us." 

"Focus on your own task, Draco. That's the only advice I can give." His temper seems to have simmered from the outburst a moment ago. "I don't want to have this conversation again, do you understand?" I snap my mouth closed before I can start another argument. I don't have the energy to fight with him. 

"Understood."


	6. The Mark

**ZAHARA**

I stretch my legs out in front of the fire before tucking them underneath me on the couch, my eyes trained on the emerald colored flames. Instead of working on homework, I'd chosen to sit in a comfortable silence while a few of the other Slytherin's work around me. Tonight, I've got a lot on my mind and even if I did pull out my Charms homework, I wouldn't get anything accomplished. I'm startled by hands slipping onto my shoulders from behind and I peek up to see Adrian with a smirk on his face. He leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek before gripping the back of the antique sofa and swinging his legs over to sit beside me.

"You look comfy." Adrian teases as he eyes my dark green and black velvet track suit. The top is unzipped to show some cleavage and his eyes linger there for a second longer before he takes the zipper in his first two fingers and tugs. I roll my eyes and slap his chest.

"You're such a guy."

"My girlfriend is hot. It would be disrespectful not to stare." He raises an eyebrow and leans over to press a kiss to the nape of my neck. 

"Could you please keep it in your pants for the rest of our sakes?" Pansy chimes in from the table in the corner where she's working with Andromeda Bellchant.

"Anything for you, Pans." Adrian gives her a dramatic bow.

"Your girlfriend, hm?" I question as butterflies stir in the pit of my stomach.

"What else would you consider yourself?" He slaps a hand onto my thigh and squeezes and a giggle leaves my chest. I've known Adrian my entire life, but I never saw him as more than another boy in Slytherin until recently. Over the summer, he'd grown quite a bit taller and now at over six feet, he'd caught all of my attention.

"Nothing. I like the way girlfriend sounds when you say it." I bite my bottom lip as he leans close and his dark eyes bore into mine.

"Good." His voice is low as he leans in and steals a quick kiss. Just then, the entrance to the common room opens up and in strides Draco Malfoy looking much more irritable than normal which is hard to imagine because it seems he's always on edge.

"Malfoy!" Adrian greets. "What's got you back later than usual?"

"Mind your business, Pucey." Malfoy snaps as he slaps his friend on the back of the head, but it's all in good fun which causes the boy beside me to chuckle. Malfoy takes a seat in one of the leather arm chairs and unbuttons the top of his black dress shirt.

"So secretive." Adrian wiggles his eyebrows and relaxes against my side, his head falling to rest on my shoulder as I slip my arm around his waist. 

"I see you two have hit it off nicely." Draco points out while pointing at our cozy position.

"Don't be jealous Malfoy, it doesn't look good on you." Draco let's out a huff of laughter as he gets a faraway look on his face at his friend's words.

"Draco doesn't need to be jealous of anyone." Pansy speaks up as she closes her book and comes over to rest on the arm of Draco's chair. I don't miss the way he leans to the opposite side as if he's trying to distance himself from her. After a few minutes of banter between all of us in the room, the entrance opens once more to reveal Heidi, her arms full of books and the expression on her face distracted. 

"Heidi, did you get the Charms assignment completed?" Andromeda speaks up from her place at the table in the corner and Heidi stops in her tracks. I watch her with suspicion and I don't miss the way her eyes stop on Pansy sitting so close to Malfoy or the way that seems to not sit right with her.

"I did, do you need some help?" Heidi makes her way over over and places the stack of books on the table and takes the seat Pansy had been occupying moments earlier.

"If you wouldn't mind." Andromeda is a quiet girl and much like Heidi she doesn't have a lot of friends. Some days, I wonder if she's the only person in Slytherin history who got sorted into the wrong house. Her temperament is more like a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, even. She's witty and kind, which is probably why Pansy latches onto her. Pansy thrives on sucking energy from sweeter souls. Then, I remember Andromeda comes from a line of well known Death Eaters and I'm reassured as to why she's with us. I know deep down inside there's a fierce and fiery warrior wrapped in a nice, blonde package.

"Where've you been?" I question my friend, trying to keep my suspicious tone at bay. Her head snaps towards me as if she hadn't even known I was sitting here and shrugs.

"Same as always. Reading." I roll my eyes. I know when she's lying and it seems she hasn't been honest with me once since we arrived at Hogwarts less than a week ago. I stand from my seat, fed up with being kept in the dark, but Adrian sits up and grabs me around the waist. He pulls me into his lap and buries his face in my neck, my long, red waves tickling his face.

"Stay," He mumbles against my skin. The chatter around the room keeps anyone from over hearing and I turn in his lap to take his face into my hands.

"I'm feeling tired." I mumble before kissing his forehead and running my hand over the side of his face. I can tell he doesn't believe me as my gaze flickers over to Heidi, who is distracted by the book she's reading from out loud to Andromeda. It saddens me to think we are growing apart and I wish she would tell me what is bothering her. It has to be serious if she can't even tell me about it.

"Can't I convince you to stay?" He sticks his lower lip out in a pout and I can't help but laugh.

"It will be morning before you know it." I stand and stretch my arms over my head before heading for the staircase.

"Wait, Zar." I hear a soft voice call after me and I see Heidi standing while trying to gather her things quickly. "I'll help you with the rest in the morning." She tells Andromeda who nods. I pause with my hand on the bannister and wait for Heidi to catch up. "I promised we would talk." She mumbles only loud enough for me to hear and I watch as she looks back over her shoulder at Pansy doing her best to entertain Draco. There's a sour expression written on Heidi's face at the sight and something in the back of my mind tells me I know what she's thinking.

As I turn my back to head up once she's caught up, I miss the look Draco gives as his eyes follow my best friend the entire way up the staircase. Sick of being blown off, Pansy huffs and storms past us to her own room next to ours, making sure to knock into Heidi on her way by.

**HEIDI**

"So," Zahara mumbles out as we sit on her bed cross legged across from each other. "Why do I feel like you've shut me out?" There's a sadness in her voice and it hurts my heart. I reach over and take her hand in mine.

"It's not intentional, I promise." I whisper while looking down at our interlocked fingers.

"Then what is it, because it seems like you spend more time with Malfoy now than your own best friend." I wonder how she knows about the time I've spent with the blonde haired boy, but I don't try to deny it. I know she won't believe me if I did.

"Zar, there's so much about me I've never shared with you." She squeezes my hand. "I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't."

"Well, what can you tell me?" I let out a shaky breath and swallow, not sure if any of this is a good idea, but I know I can't keep lying to her, not if I want to keep her in my life.

"I've been learning Occlumency with Snape." Surprise washes over her face as if that's the last thing she expected me to say. "If you know I've been spending time with Draco, I'm assuming you think there's something going on between us, that that's what I'm keeping from you." Zahara nods her head. "Draco seems to understand." I turn my head to the side almost in confusion myself as the words leave my lips. I don't know why Draco relates to me, but I feel it all the same.

"Heidi, I'm more confused now than I was in the common room minutes ago." I pull back from her and stand from the bed before turning my back to her. "What are you—" Her words catch in her throat as I pull my hair off of my neck and to the side, exposing the skin at the nape. I hear a gasp leave Zahara's lips as she stands and grabs at the collar of my robes, pulling them down to reveal my upper back.

The mark was branded into my skin when I was just a child of eight. My parents had made a deal with the devil to save their own skin. I was the collateral damage of that deal. The snake head is just under my hair line and it's long, slithering body trails to the right just behind my ear and down in curving motions where it ends just above my right shoulder. It's intricate and beautiful if it didn't represent a life of darkness.

"Heidi," She breathes and I can hear the horror in her voice. "This, this doesn't look like anything I have ever seen before." She whispers out as her thin finger trails along the serpent's body. "This isn't like the other dark marks."

"No, it isn't." I turn back around and situate my hair and clothing to conceal the snake.

"What does it mean?" Her face is filled with worry and I offer a sad smile to try and soothe it.

"It means my life isn't mine, not really."

"You've kept this from me all this time." She takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not allowed to speak of it. One day, when I've mastered Occlumency I'll tell you more. You have my word." Her head nods up and down slowly.

"I'm sorry for getting cross with you." I know she means those words and I'm grateful for the ability to tell her what little I have. It means she will always know any distance between us is not because I don't love her.

"I understand and I'm not upset with you." She reaches out and takes my hands in hers and gives them squeeze.

"Malfoy, he helps you?" She asks with curiosity on her face.

"He tries, but I've told him less than you. I think he has secrets of his own he can't tell anyone." I think about the blonde downstairs in the common room with fondness. Who would have thought?

"I'm glad you have someone." Zahara's melancholy tone hurts my heart.

"I still have you, too and that's what's important to me." Just then, Andromeda makes her way into the room and Zahara releases my hands.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." The blonde girl seems awkward standing in the doorway, but I offer her a reassuring smile.

"Of course not. We were just getting ready for bed." Andromeda drops her books on the bedside table and climbs under the covers.

"I'm going to have a shower before bed." I tell Zahara before heading over to get a pair of satin pajamas from the chest by my bed. I head down to find the common room empty aside from one person still lingering in the leather arm chair. There's a faraway look on his face and I think better of speaking and head towards the door that leads to the shower room. When I come out a while later, Draco is still sitting in the same place, but now he's leaning forward with his head in his hands. The flames in the fireplace cast shadows around the room. Most of his form is enveloped in darkness. It's an almost eerie scene.

"Draco?" I whisper as I take a few steps into the room, my feet bare and wet hair hanging down over one shoulder to keep the serpent on my skin hidden. The button down pajama top assists in the concealment of the mark.

Draco doesn't answer, but I know he heard me by the shift of his body. His hands run over his head and tug on the roots of his hair. I make my way over and kneel down on the floor in front of him. I take his wrists in my hands and pull them down, forcing him to look at me.

"Are you alright?" I keep my voice low as concern covers my face. He shakes his head no, but remains silent. "We're a pitiful pair." I breathe out with a sad smile. "So many secrets to keep, so few people we can confide in."

"Do you ever want to disappear?" Draco speaks after a few seconds of silence and I nod without hesitation. Draco pulls his hands from my grip and brushes one over my cheek that's still flushed from the hot shower.

"All the time." I tell him truthfully. His thumb continues to stroke over my skin and my eyes close in an unconscious reaction. When they reopen, he's still watching me and I can't stop the blush that creeps up my neck.

"Maybe one day we can." His insinuation takes me by surprise.

"We?" Draco hesitates at my question. He goes to say something but closes his mouth instead. "I should get to bed. You should, too." Draco nods as he releases me from his grip and extends a hand to help me stand. He follows me to the stairs and we part ways at the top, but not before Draco takes my hand in his and gives it a squeeze.


	7. Quidditch Tryouts

**HEIDI**

"This says here that the Minotaur, thought to be extinct, hundreds of years ago, was part man _and_ bull," Draco's voice pulls me out of the pages of my most recent novel. "The species was created with magic by Poseidon. They were intended to be used as sacrifices to please the God's because their rulers lacked true magic, but due to their intelligence and beauty, they were kept as living decoration for the rulers of Crete," A smirk pulls at the corners of my lips as I watch him read. There's a slight wrinkle in the center of his forehead, as if he's completely focused on the words. Magical creatures have become a kind of obsession for Draco since learning more about the dragons. It's as if he's searching for his own strength, as I did, in the books filled with fascinating stories. "A human's body with a bull's head, can you imagine?" 

"Yes, I've heard a bit about them, more like footnotes in some of the other books I've read."

"They're related to the Centaurs. They even mated with humans thousands of years ago." Draco's eyes widen as he takes in the new information before turning to look at me. "That's madness." 

"They're just stories." I reassure him with a smile of my own. "Not everything you read is true." 

"Do you believe everything about dragons, all the stories your father told you?" I think that over for a moment. 

"I believe that stories get passed along from generation to generation and some of the facts are lost with time, but dragons are here with us in the present, so it's easy to disprove any falsities. Minotaur's on the other hand, haven't been seen in the wild, or otherwise, in quite a few lifetimes. On the other hand, it's more about what appeals to you inside, you know? What facts and details ignite your imagination. I guess then, it doesn't matter what's true or what's not. You can create your own world inside your head." 

"I wish my parents had shown me there was more to the world than what little we see of it." 

"How do you mean?" I close the book between my hands and place it on the ground between us. The weather is mild, making it the perfect kind of afternoon to spend out by the Black Lake.

"Just from what little I've read, there's a whole world out there full of experiences no one at Hogwarts ever speaks of. There's so much darkness here, but out there, in different realms and places, there's more." Draco clears his throat while stretching his legs out in front of him on the blanket. "I had no idea any of it even existed until now, that's all. I wasn't suppose to read fairytales or indulge myself with mythical creatures as a child. If it isn't fact, it isn't for the Malfoy's. That's what my father use to say." 

"You're allowed to be curious, Draco. The world we live in is incredible. I could go on and on about all of the things I've read. About Earth magic, where people with no true, magical ability like us, wield power simply with knowledge, will, and a connection to the Earth's energy. Muggles with real influence without the use of a wand." That earns a snort of laughter from him. 

"Muggles with power, I think maybe that one was a myth." 

"I'm serious. The Muggle studies here are biased, as I'd assume most education is, but it doesn't make the oddities less real. If you'd ask Zahara, she would tell you all about the things she's seen when staying with her Muggle aunt, Katherine. She's visited these little potion shops that sell herbs and things, just like us. It's a natural form of magic." Draco seems to think that one over for a moment as he stares out at the shimmering lake. 

"We've always been taught that Muggles are beneath us," The words come out an unconscious thought. "That they're inferior, weak, a watered down species with little value." 

"You're right, but who's writing those texts? Think about it." He tilts his head up to look me in the eyes. There's doubt swimming through them, but curiosity seems to be outweighing it. He wants to know more, he's just afraid the information will go against everything he's ever known. 

"Us, we're the ones writing history." 

"Exactly, Muggles aren't so different from you and me, really." I lay back on the blanket and look up at the clouds floating across the sky, my hands clasped together on my stomach. 

"Do you ever think you'll get to see any of it? The world, I mean." Draco lays back on his side beside me and rests his head on the heel of his head. The question causes a tightness on the left side of my chest and I really wish he hadn't asked. 

"I don't think I'll ever get the chance."

+++

A week passes with some semblance of normalcy, aside from the exhausting Occlumency lessons with Snape. It took two days to shut him out, and another three to build my strength to keep him for an extended period of time. Every time Snape would dig out a memory or an image of Malfoy, his nose would crinkle up in irritation. He didn't scold or yell like I had expected, but I could see the disappointment all over him without hearing the words. Despite my god father's disdain for the blooming friendship, each afternoon, Draco and myself would find time to read out by the Black Lake, even if it was just for an hour during our free period.

As I leave Snape's office on a chilly afternoon, the halls are bustling with activity as students chatter and laugh with each other while passing through the corridors. On my way back to the Slytherin dungeons, I bump into a figure as I round a corner.

"Oh—" My voice is full of surprise as I try to catch my balance.

"Heidi," A voice calls out with just as much shock as our two bodies collide. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying any attention." Once I get my bearings, I see Hermione Granger reaching to pick up some parchment she had dropped.

"No, it was my fault. My head was in the clouds." I tease while gathering my own things off the stone floor.

"Are you headed to Quidditch tryouts?"

"I was headed back to the dormitories to change out of my robes." I shrug. I hadn't thought about attending, but since I have nothing better to do this afternoon, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea. "Is that what everyone is excited about?" She flashes me a warm smile and a nod.

"I'm sure, the start of the season always calls for celebration." Hermione starts to step past me as someone calls her name and I turn to see Ron Weasley dressed in his Gryffindor best. I haven't seen her at all since the Slytherin party and it seems she's gone out of her way to avoid me. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with our conversation about Malfoy, or if she's just been busy with her own studies. It's not a secret that I've become friends with the silver haired Slytherin and it's obvious by the look I'm getting from the redheaded Gryffindor across the corridor, he doesn't approve. "I've got to get going. Ron's waiting. It was nice seeing you!" Her hand raises in a wave as she hurries off to meet her friend.

When I turn around to head in the direction of the staircase, I see a group of students in emerald green Quidditch robes coming towards me. At the front is Draco himself walking next to Pucey. They're laughing and teasing each other and something stirs in my stomach. It almost feels like a calm, warm kind of peace. I've felt it before out by the lake when it's just the two of us reading excerpts from texts back and forth. Adrian shoves Draco in the arm, almost causing him to drop his broom and I can hear Draco's laugh from here. It's a nice sound. It's a shame he doesn't have more to laugh and smile about in his life.

"Hey, Scarlet." Blaise calls out with a raised eyebrow. "Saw you chatting it up with the Mudblood. What's that about?" Heat builds in my chest at Blaise's insult, but I do my best to swallow it down. Everyone knows Zabini doesn't recognize anyone who isn't pure, but sometimes his arrogance pulls at my nerves.

"Not everyone can live up to your high standards, your majesty." I give him a very dramatic, very sarcastic bow and when I stand up straight, Draco snickering beside his friend. Blaise goes to step towards me, his face full of disgust, but Draco holds a hand out to stop him.

"Leave it, Zabini." Draco's voice has changed from teasing to serious and his friend seems to get the picture.

"Are you boys giving Heidi a hard time?" The sound of heels clicking down the hallway pulls my attention to find Zahara dressed in her autumn best. She wears a pair of black tights under her green and black checked skirt and a black turtleneck sweater that hugs her curves. On her feet are a pair of knee high boots. The long, red hair has been straightened and there's a black cable knit hat atop her head. Her robes are draped over her arm and her hips sway as she comes down the corridor like a woman on a mission.

"I was just heading back." I tell her as she reaches my side.

"Adrian, could you keep your comrades in check, please?" Zahara raises an eyebrow at her boyfriend, ignoring my statement altogether, and he chuckles. She's always coming to my rescue even if she doesn't realize it.

"You heard her, boys." Adrian speaks up while rounding up the team. "Let's get to the pitch."

"I'll meet you there. Save me a seat." I mumble in my friend's ear and she nods before giving Blaise a dark look that would chill even my bones. She makes her way across the corridor and places a kiss on Adrian's cheek before hurrying off to catch up with a few other Slytherin girls who had been waiting for her next to the double doors. The rest of the team heads off towards the exit that leads to the field, but Draco lingers behind.

"Are you coming to try outs?" Draco asks as he stuffs his free hand into his robe pockets.

"I have to change." I motion towards what I'm wearing. "I'll freeze if I don't." He steps a little closer and my eyes flicker to all of the people around us. It's as if he notices I'm uncomfortable with the prying eyes and his close proximity because he takes a step back.

"I'll be looking for you." Draco gives me a small smile before heading off in the direction of his team.

By the time I make it down to the Quidditch pitch, my hands are freezing even inside the gloves I had grabbed last minute. For the most part, I'm alone as I walk across the grounds, as everyone else had gotten a head start while I had been stuck with Snape. For the first time in a very long time, my mind feels clear and I wonder if it's because I know I can flip the Occlumency switch if I need to at any time. It's a comfort I hadn't known I needed until now. There's no fear of losing anymore of myself to the wizard who already owns my soul. I make my way up the wooden bleachers, past the emerald green signs with the Slytherin team member's pictures flying about, the streamers, and cheering students, to find Zahara sitting next to Andromeda with an empty spot beside her. When she sees me, she stands and waves her hands over her head to get my attention.

"You're just in time." Zahara nudges my shoulder and Andromeda leans forward to say hello.

"Look, there's Draco!" I hear someone call out and I turn to see Pansy just behind me and a little to the right. I don't miss the way Zahara lets out a huff with an eye roll. I look up to see Draco hovering in the center of the field while they get ready to start. I can feel myself relaxing and as the crowd begins to cheer for their team, I find myself joining in. I had never let myself get involved in things like this before. Instead, I had kept to myself, but here surrounded by everyone now, I feel almost normal for the first time in my life.

+++

The sun has started to set by the time tryouts are over. I walk arm in arm with Zahara as we make our way back up the grounds. The air is crisp enough to see see our breath as we chat. The sound of quick steps on the cold ground pulls our attention and we stop to see Adrian and Draco jogging in our direction. Zahara drops my arm as her boyfriend slings his arm around her neck and kisses the side of her face. Draco smirks at me through the darkness, his hands buried in the pockets of his robes.

"Tryouts went well." Zahara points out as we continue our way up the grounds. Draco matches stride beside with me and in the cover of darkness, I feel his hand graze mine. I had shed my gloves after eating some concessions during Quidditch so the feel of his cool skin sends another flutter of butterflies through my stomach.

"Fresh meat always makes for a good time." Adrian takes Zahara's face in his hands as he walks and presses his lips to hers. She squeals when he refuses to let her go. When they finally break apart, she's giggling like crazy. 

I can't imagine what it feels like to be so carefree and in love. To be so open about it, anyway. I chance a look out of the corner of my eye at Draco and he's watching me in his peripherals as we walk. His hand gets bolder and this time he takes my pointer finger in a lose hand hold. We walk along that way for a while talking amongst ourselves, the four of us in our own world surrounded by hundreds, before I slip my hand through his to intertwine our fingers. It feels right. Zahara steals a glance over, Adrian's arm still slung loosely over her shoulders, and there's surprise written on her face at first when she sees the closeness of us.

"I have an idea." Zahara speaks up as we near the castle. "How about the four of us sneak down to the kitchens and get some honeycakes and butterbeer and head to the Shrieking Shack." There's mischief playing in her eyes as Adrian and Draco look to each other for approval. "Come on!" Zahara insists as she shoves me with her free hand. The force causes me to stumble further into Draco and his chest vibrates in a laugh as he steadies me.

"Let's do it." Draco looks down at me as the words leave his lips and I think it over before nodding. "Why not?" 

"Awesome!" Zahara cheers, her face erupting in happiness.

By the time we make it to the abandoned house outside Hogsmeade, I'm frozen solid and the sagging walls around us are a relief from the autumn winds. Adrian leads the way through the house, Zahara's hand clasped tightly in his as he heads toward the decrepit staircase. As we walk in a single file line, doing our best not to trip or fall into one of the broken steps, I can feel Draco's warmth just at my back. He's been a distraction the entire way here just by the way he keeps looking at me.

Zahara and Adrian make their way to the top and disappear into one of the rooms. I'm taken off guard by Draco latching onto my hand and pulling me to a stop. Before I have a chance to react, he's stepping onto the same stair I'm standing on and slipping his hands onto my waist. The bold move causes my heart to start thumping in my chest. I look up at him as he stares down at me, his hair falling into his face. I take a shaky breath and lift my hand to brush the strands out of his eyes.

"Draco," I whisper out, the the white fog of my breath tangling with his. His eyes are dark as he pushes me by the hips back against the wall. "Draco, what do you think you're doing?" His gaze flickers from my eyes to my lips and back up again, but still he says nothing. Draco leans forward and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth. My breath catches in my chest as his lips ghost across my cheek. He looks up at me to gauge my reaction and when I make no move to pull away, he tightens the grip of his hands and closes the distance between us, his lips connecting with mine. If it were possible for my heart to stop, it would've. The kiss lasts only a few seconds, but it sets my entire world on fire. When Draco pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine and reaches one hand up to hold my face.

"I've been wanting to do that since the night in Snape's office." Draco mumbles against my lips. I know his is wrong, but it feels so right and I'm not sure how to put that into words he'll understand. So, I say nothing. Instead, I close the gap once more, taking him by surprise. I can feel a smile forming on his lips and I can't help but do the same. We're interrupted this time by Zahara popping her head around the corner.

"I knew it!" She squeals as Adrian steps out behind her. The two of them stare down at us for a moment with knowing grins. Draco pulls himself out of my grasp and my face turns red with embarrassment. I can't bring myself to even look at Zahara. I can feel the excitement and surprise radiating off of her from here. Draco takes my hand and pulls me up the remaining steps.

"Who wants to play Exploding Snap?" Adrian steers the conversation in a different direction as he pulls a deck of cards from his pocket.

"I'm in!" Zahara cheers and for the first time in days, I feel happy.


	8. The Black Lake

**HEIDI**

Saturday. One of my favorite days of the week. Weekends mean no classes and I can spend the day without worry of assignments. Schoolwork I haven't finished during free periods can wait until Sunday. I stand from bed and stretch my arms over my head before letting out a yawn. My hair is still wet from the shower the night before and I pull it from the hair tie and shake it out with my fingers. Zahara is just starting to wake and she turns on her side to look at me, her body wrapped up in a black satin sheet. Andromeda's corner of the room is, as always, vacant of the little blonde witch. 

"I'm headed down to the lake." I turn my back to her and pull the pajama top off before shrugging into a Slytherin green sweater. I reach for a pair of black jeans and a checked scarf to go around my neck. When I turn back around, her eyes have fluttered closed, but she snaps them back open like it was involuntary. "You want to come?" She lets out a groan and sits up, the sheet falling down to her waist to expose a white tank top on her upper half.

"I'm not sure." Zahara rubs her eyes and looks over at Andromeda who is still sound asleep.

"What do you mean?" I ask her with a quiet laugh. It's obvious her brain is not on the same page just yet.

"I don't think I'm fully awake, yet." She blinks slowly before removing the sheet entirely and swinging her legs over the bed.

"You can meet me down there later, if you want to." She nods her head up and down and I grab a pair of black combat boots before slipping into them. 

"Don't think I've forgotten about what happened with Malfoy," Zahara mumbles through a long, exaggerated yawn. "We've yet to have a real conversation about that." I can feel the heat of a blush creeping up from under the sweater. 

"I don't recall," I smirk and that causes her to tilt her head to the side, her green eyes filled with teasing accusations. 

"Right, right." Her hand raises in a flippant wave. "I'll see you in a little while." I take the opportunity to speed out of the room to avoid any further questioning. I'm not ready to have that conversation, but hopefully by this evening, when I know she'll come looking for me, I will be.

There's a few students milling about the common room and my eyes scan for one person in particular, but I'm disappointed when I don't see who I'm looking for. From what I've learned over the last few days, Draco is an early riser, but it seems today he's chosen to sleep in. I feel a bit of disappointment, but it's quickly washed away when the door to the showers swings open and the person filling my mind steps through. He's dressed in a pair of black fitted dress pants and black sweater, the outfit a stark contrast to his pale skin and light hair.

"Perfect timing." His lips curve up into a mischievous smirk.

"Oh?" I cock a brow and play innocent even though my heart has picked up speed at the sight of him. Our voices get the attention of Millicent Bulstrode who's sitting on the floor in front of the fire, but I keep my gaze focused on Draco.

"What are you doing today?" He brushes his hair out of his face and comes closer.

"I was headed to the lake as always. What do you have planned?" I motion towards his fresh appearance.

"My thoughts were to find you and crash whatever plans you had." His smile widens. "I'll go grab my book and meet you outside the castle."

Draco turns to head up the stairs to his room and I make my way out of the entrance without giving anyone in the common room a second glance. I can't risk catching their suspicious stares. They may cause my courage to falter. My will to stay away from Draco has long since dwindled away and I love the time we've spent together, but one judgment might send me back into a spiral of loneliness. I can't have people talking about me and I'm reminded of Snape's words about how it would be dire for me to get involved with anyone here at Hogwarts.

After making sure my mind is in the right place for Occlumency if the circumstance were to arise, I make my way down the corridor towards the wooden double doors leading out onto the grounds. The air is crisp and smells like turning leaves and I shiver. Despite the cold, a sense of calm washes over me from head to toe as I walk. Autumn has always been my favorite season.

I'm halfway down the trail to the lake when the sound of quick falling footsteps pulls my attention and before I have a chance to turn, someone is running into me and I'm falling to the ground. I hear his laughter before I realize who has taken me down and my book flies off into the tall grass. Draco had grabbed me by the legs and landed with his body hovering over mine. The thick grass softens our fall and he seems so pleased with himself when I get myself under control.

"Draco!" I cry out, my heart having just about beat out of my chest. My shock seems to only encourage him and his body vibrates against mine in a chuckle.

"Got ya." He taunts, but before I can say a word his lips have found my own. I freeze, a bit taken off guard, but that fades as he lowers himself to his elbows so he's resting body to body with me, one of his hands reaching to lace through my hair. The tall grass keeps us out of sight of any prying eyes, but there's no one out here to hide from. Most of the students are enjoying their day off inside the castle. The kiss is long, but soft and I relish every second. His hands don't roam and I enjoy the feel of him in this moment. A fire ignites in my body as I slip my hands up his chest to cradle his face and a soft sigh leaves his throat as he pulls back.

"How did you sleep?" Draco murmurs against my skin as his lips trail from the corner of my mouth to my jaw.

"As good as I ever do." I move my hands to his shoulders and push him over onto his back. His hands reach for my wrists, dragging me over so I'm straddling his waist. I look down at him through the curtain of my hair and there's a content expression on his face as he eyes me from below. "What?" I whisper while threading my fingers through his. I keep my own eyes locked on our intertwined hands.

"I'm just thinking of all the moments passed in our time here when I didn't think to speak to you." His voice is low as he squeezes my hands and lifts one to his lips where he presses a kiss to my knuckles. "I remember it all so clearly now, like I had blocked you entirely from my memory until the other night in the Shrieking Shack."

"And what do you remember?" I tease, fully aware of our very compromising position on the ground if someone were to stumble upon us.

"You were at the Yule Ball our fourth year with Jade Longthorne." Draco's eyes trail up to the sky above as he relives whatever memory he's speaking of. I had gone to the dance with a fifth year Hufflepuff who later transferred to Durmstrang just after my fourth year. I can't believe he's recalling it, now. It's such an odd thing for someone like him to remember. "I remember because Longthorne ditched you to dance with Hannah Abbott and Zahara stormed over and yelled at him for it. You were horrified." A laugh leaves my lips as I think about Zahara in her blood red gown standing in the middle of the dance floor, her face flushed and angry, all eyes on her.

"Not one of her finest moments." I mumble with an eye roll. "Zahara can be rather intense."

"She looks out for you." Draco sits up, keeping me in his lap as he goes and cradles my face in one of his hands, his thumb tracing back and forth over the skin of my cheek. "I remember you on the first day of fifth year when Parkinson tripped you as you walked up the stairs of the astronomy tower on the way to class. She was joking, but I remember the terror on your face as you gripped the rail." Zahara once again came to my rescue for that one, too. She'd shoved Pansy so hard the brunette girl almost lost her own balance and after that Pansy never teased me again.

"She's my best friend, and a great one at that." Draco's thumb brushes over my bottom lip. "I'm lucky to have her." 

"I could look out for you." My heart leaps into my throat as I register his words and my stomach turns. "I don't know what secrets you're hiding from the world, but I could look after you, too." My breath leaves my chest and the left side where my heart is squeezes. "If you wanted."

"Draco—" I trail off as dark thoughts seep into my mind. It sounds nice when you say it out loud. It feels nice to be lost in whatever little bubble we've created for ourselves, but the reality of our situation is quite the opposite.

"I want to know your secrets." There's true honesty behind his words and I close my eyes against his touch. I've never had this before. The sensations are overwhelming. I'm reminded in this moment that I've never felt a kind touch like this, never felt a connection with another person on this level. My chest squeezes when I think about it because maybe, maybe I would be better off if I hadn't ever known what this could feel like, how good it could be. "I want to tell you mine."

"I can't," I whisper as he leans in to steal another kiss. The mood has turned solemn and there's pain written all over him. It's in his body language, his voice, his eyes. The cheerful disposition he had been sporting just moments ago has vanished as quickly as the blink of an eye. There's something on his mind.

"Please," Draco pleads. "I'm all alone in this." My eyebrows furrow at the sight of him struggling to find the right words.

"In what?" His lips purse as we stare at each other in silence, neither of us budging. We're at a stalemate, both of us wanting to confide in the other, but not having the strength to do so.

"I think it's safe to say, Draco, that you are not alone." I press a kiss to his forehead, my lips lingering a tick longer against his skin. "Even if you can't tell me and I can't tell you, I think we both know deep down what it's all tied to." Draco nods his head and grips me at the waist and lifts me off his lap before standing. He brushes off his clothes and collects my book that had gone flying when he took me down.

"Let's get going." Draco says nothing else about what we had just been speaking of, instead he takes my hand and leads me on towards the lake.

**DRACO**

Everything about her has my head spinning. All I want to know is the truth behind the darkness that clings to every inch of her. I want to know why there's a distant look in her eyes no matter what kind of mood she's in. I want to know why she refuses to allow anyone close to her. I've been trained well in Occlumency and I've felt the same intruding whenever I'm around her. The only difference is, since I'm well practiced at it, there's not a chance of the person getting inside my head. Heidi, on the other hand, hasn't yet mastered the art of it, though, she puts up a terrific fight. Even though I don't want to admit it to myself, I know exactly who it is that's trying to read her. I know who it is, but yet I don't understand what he would want with her. 

We walk in silence towards the edge of the water and I can still feel her body pressed against mine in the grass just moments ago. I've always said it's a curious mind, not a pretty face, that can hold my attention. Here she is with the most fascinating one I've ever come across and there's a wall firmly in place between her and myself. She may allow me to kiss her, she might even kiss me back, but she hasn't given even a piece of herself to me. The things she can't tell anyone, that he keeps tightly locked inside her mind, that's what I want to uncover. I want to know I'm not the only one with these demons inside. She had wanted to open up. I could see it written all over her, but some internal force stopped her.

"I'm afraid," Heidi's voice pulls me from my thoughts as we come to our usual spot at the edge of the lake. She takes a seat and I sit beside her before pulling the book from my back pocket. She stares out at the black water and there's an emptiness to her honey eyes.

"Of what?"

"Everything," I can see she's toying with something inside her mind. When she finally looks over at me, I can see the tears threatening to spill over. I feel that same fear every morning when I wake up and every evening before I fall asleep. I have no words of reassurance. There's no use in telling her it will all be okay because death is what hangs over our heads. I know that about her for certain, now.

"My family is relying on me to keep them alive." I tell her without looking in her direction. It's the most truth I can give her for now, but it's a start. "It's the curse I was given the day I was born a Malfoy." Her head snaps to me as if those words have some affect on her, as if she knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"I try to tell myself that our last names, the history of our families don't define who we really are," Her voice is soft and full of melancholy. "But the older I get, the more I learn about life, I start to believe that it's true. Maybe, we really are doomed from the start." 

"Maybe you're right." Heidi's shoulders shrug as a dark, sardonic chuckle leaves my chest. I throw my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side. She hesitates at first, but relaxes as I press my lips to the top of her head. She smells like vanilla and sandalwood. The combination soothes my restless mind and I close my eyes for just a moment to enjoy this. A sinister voice in the back of my mind tells me I won't be able to keep her for long.

**HEIDI**

Later that evening, after spending most of the afternoon sitting beside Draco in silence, I find myself back in the dormitory across from Zahara as she flips through a Muggle magazine sent to her by her aunt. I couldn't find a way to pull myself from the sour mood after the intense conversation with Draco, so I had avoided most conversation with my friend for as long as I could. She had been content with the quiet, but with the way she keeps eyeing me from behind the colorful pages, she's going to try prying answers out of me any minute. I had been feigning sleep for the last hour, but I'm not sure how much longer I can lay here without moving to keep up the façade. 

"I knew that the two of you were growing close, but I hadn't realized it had escalated that far." The words come out almost on cue. "I always thought Malfoy was a bloody git, but he seems to enjoy your company." 

"He's not all bad." I turn over on my back and stare up at the ceiling. "Yes, he has his moments, but there's more to him than what everyone sees." Zahara closes the magazine and tosses it onto the floor. 

"Tell me all about it." A soft sigh unheard by her, leaves my chest as I sit up. 

"Is Adrian just like you expected? Is he the obnoxious, loudmouthed, bully we all believed him to be since first year?" 

"Not in the slightest. Adrian is kind and gentle," She unlocks her stare from me and turns her head to look out the window. I can tell my question has thrown her for a loop and she hadn't expected to be talking about her own relationship. "He's got a very dark mind, don't be fooled, he hasn't had an easy life. Despite all that, Adrian is good." 

"I suppose you've answered your own question, then." 

"But why you? You haven't shown interest in anyone at Hogwarts, like, ever. Why Draco Malfoy and why you?" She furrows her brows in confusion. 

"I suppose I was tired of being lonely." The answer is honest, almost too much, so. I instantly regret the words.

"I didn't realize you had been," Zahara sighs. "I'm sorry." 

"It's not your fault, Zar. There's nothing you can do." 

"Does he know about your secret?" She raises a hand to point to the back of her neck.

"He knows as much as you do. There's nothing I would keep from you if I had any other choice and I wouldn't share something with him that I couldn't you." Zahara stands from the bed and comes over to crawl in beside me in my own. She rests her head on the unused pillow on the left side as I lay back on the one on the right. We lay together in silence for a moment, the two of us watching each other.

"I'm happy for you, Heidi, that you've found a friend you can confide in. I worry about you, about the secrets you keep because I know they must be serious. I just don't want to see you get hurt by bloody Malfoy, so please, even though you say he's good, be careful, okay?" 

"Of course." Zahara reaches out and takes my hand in hers.

"You're my dearest friend, Heidi." She pulls our intertwined fingers up and presses a quick kiss to my knuckles. She closes her eyes and settles in further to the pillow while pulling the sheet up around her shoulders. I'm reminded of all the sleepovers we use to have back when we were kids, when there was nothing we kept from each other. I wonder what will happen when all of the secrets come to the surface, whenever that may be. Will I have to leave her behind? I don't know if I could bear it.


	9. Irresponsible

**  
HEIDI  
**

"I would like for you all to pair up with the person at your table and together, you will brew a vial of the Wound Cleansing potion we discussed last week." Horace Slughorn instructs from the front of the classroom. I look to my right and groan at the sight of Theodore Knott. Zahara had chosen to take the seat at the table behind me so as to sit beside Adrian while leaving the vacant seat beside me open for Draco. 

Only, Draco hadn't shown up on time and when Knott had meandered his way into the classroom, there were only two seats available. The first was at the table directly in front of Professor Slughorn's desk beside Romilda Vane, while the second was toward the back next to me. It was an obvious choice for the lanky Slytherin. 

When Draco finally had arrived, ten minutes after the start of class, I could hear him mumble something under his breath as he saw the seating situation. As he walked by our table to Romilda's, he'd knocked Knott upside the head with a roll of parchment. That had earned a smile from me and when he sat down next to the curly haired Gryffindor, he'd turned to get a look at me properly, almost an apology for the Slytherin beside me on his face.

"This activity will be graded, winning team will receive five points towards their house." I turn to Theodore and he raises an eyebrow while balancing his quill between his first two fingers. 

"I just want to let you know that I was asleep most of that demonstration." The brunette boy admits and I roll my eyes. Big surprise. 

"Of course." I mutter under my breath as I open the Potions textbook to the correct page before getting the cauldron set up and the fire lit. Merlin knows, Draco doesn't pay all that much attention in class either, but at least I would have enjoyed the conversation if he were my partner. 

Fifteen minutes into brewing, I've gotten most of the recipe completed and just as I go to add in the remaining bits of peppermint to the frothing purple liquid, Theodore flicks a piece of dried shrivelfig in my direction and the close proximity between us sends the ball directly at my face. It hits me in the eye and I cry out as it starts to burn. 

" _Theodore!_ " I shriek while reaching up to cover my eye with my hand. "What was that for?" My outburst gets the attention of Professor Slughorn as well as most of the students around us. Theodore cackles beside me and it's obvious he's very pleased with himself. Out of the corner of my good eye, I see Draco freeze at his table before turning his head to look in our direction. By this point, the liquid has begin to drip down my cheek and when I pull my hand away, I see it's covered in a violet colored liquid. 

As Slughorn makes his way across the room, Draco, who's much faster with longer legs, storms over and shoves Theodore so hard his seat tips, causing him to fall over backward onto the stone floor. A few students gasp as the rest go silent. 

"That's just about enough, Draco." Slughorn scolds while reaching for Draco's arm, but the blonde boy shrugs him off. 

"It was an accident, Malfoy." Theodore defends himself as he clambers back to his feet while dusting off his robes. The entire class is staring at us in confusion as they watch this all play out. Meanwhile, Zahara comes around her table to have a look at me and I don't miss the 'tsk' sound she makes when she sees that the moisture from my eye has turned purple. 

"Idiot." Draco sneers in the direction of our fellow Slytherin. "She could've lost an eye." 

"It's just a shrivelfig, Malfoy. No harm in that." Knott snaps back while taking a step toward the blonde. 

"Actually, Theodore that's incorrect. Side effects of direct contact with the shrivelfig can cause burning to the skin which can lead to blindness if it comes in contact with the pupil." Hermione speaks up from the other side of the classroom. "It's only safe on contact when in its liquid form."

"Professor, I think Heidi should see Madam Pomfrey." Zahara speaks up as Draco steps over and takes a look. He snatches my wrist and sees the colored tears on my fingers, his face stone-like as he looks from me and back to his ignorant comrade. 

"Yes, yes alright." Our teacher seems flustered at the altercation. "Theodore, I suggest you spend the rest of this class in my office. We'll discuss this further when the rest are dismissed." 

"I'll take her." Draco cuts in and Zahara only nods. As we step out into the hallway, I can feel the agitation radiating off the boy beside me. It seems he's wound tight today and I wonder why that is. 

"What's wrong?" I try to break the tension as we walk towards the hospital wing. Draco gives me a side glance, but shakes his head. 

"Nothing, lets just get you to Madam Pomfrey, alright?" 

"You were late." I point out. "I saved the seat for you, but you were late." 

"So, you're saying this is my fault?" He snaps. By this point, my eye has started to water profusely and when Draco sees I can't stop the flow of violet tears, he reaches into his pocket for a handkerchief. I press the expensive fabric to the side of my face. That's when the pain begins to set in. It's like fire below the surface of my skin and I have to stop in my tracks for a moment to get my bearings. 

"No," I breathe out through clenched teeth. "I didn't say it was your fault. I just want to make sure you're okay." Draco halts his steps alongside me and stares in disbelief. 

"You could lose the sight in your eye and you're asking if I'm okay?"

"I guess I am." I shrug and wince at the pain that's now moving down my face to my neck. Draco notices the discomfort. 

"Come on," He takes my hand and drags me through the corridors until we reach our destination. Madam Pomfrey awaits us as if she was warned we were coming and takes my hands to guide me towards a free bed. My vision in my right eye has started to turn blurry and I panic that I'll lose my sight entirely. All because of Theodore bloody Knott. 

"Am I going blind?" I cry out to the witch, cause her chuckle while she runs a hand over the side of my face. Her touch is cold as ice. 

"No, sweet child." Draco takes a seat in the chair beside the bed. I glance over at him and see there's worry written all over his face. It's a comfort to know he cares. "How did this happen?" She asks while pulling out a few vials and a dropper. Pomfrey uses them one by one and drops liquid into my opened, hazy eye. 

"Theodore Knott is a daft idiot." Draco sneers. 

"Messing about in Potions class? That's awfully dangerous, you know." 

"I know that." His voice is as cold as the nurse's hands and I wonder what's gotten into him. The burning begins to subside and the waterworks start to dry up after the second bottle of drops. 

"Draco," I reach out and take his hand. "It's fine. You can relax." He holds my gaze for a moment longer before pulling his hand from mine, as if I had burned him. He leaning back in the chair, any look of worry turning to stone. Something about that causes my chest to squeeze, so I look up at the ceiling while resting my hands on my stomach. 

"That should do it, darling." The witch pats me on the leg. "We'll keep you here for a few hours just to be safe. Mr. Malfoy, you can head back to class. I can handle it from here." She stands from her seat and heads off to check on another student across the room. I can't bring myself to look in his direction. I feel embarrassed for thinking I had a right to him in any way, for feeling like I could hold his hand when I needed comfort. 

"I'll stay." He mutters, but I shake my head. 

"You should go." I keep my eyes focused on the ceiling.

"Heidi—" Draco argues, but I force a smile and lock eyes with him. 

"You really should. There's nothing left for you to do here." He holds my gaze as if he knows exactly what I'm doing, which is trying to get away. "Go on." I urge him and as he stands, he reaches to take my hand, but I pull it from his reach before he can make contact. It's then that Draco realizes his mistake. It's written all over his face. 

"I'll see you when you get back to the common room." His eyebrow raises in question even though he had said it as a statement. 

"It's going to be a late night for me. I've got studying to do in the library." I lie, knowing full well I'm ahead on all of my assignments. In fact, I had wanted to spend the evening with him, but now that's changed. 

"You'll miss Quidditch," I had forgotten all about the match with everything going on. "It's Slytherin verses Gryffindor, you have to be there."

"There's always next time." Draco gives me a hard look as if knowing, but instead of trying to force my hand he turns on his heel and leaves the hospital wing. 

**  
DRACO  
**

I'm not entirely sure what came over me sitting in that chair looking at Heidi with purple tears streaming down her cheeks. Something inside of me wanted to storm back to Slughorn's classroom and ring Theodore's neck for what he had done to her. Another part wanted to throw myself off the astronomy tower for pulling away from her when she was afraid. It had been a reflex, an unconscious thought in my angry state, but I could see it hurt her feelings more then she would ever let on. I, Draco Malfoy, hurt someone's feelings and feel guilty about it. Who am I becoming?

"Malfoy!" I hear a familiar voice call my name as students begin to disperse from their classrooms, filling the hall and making it hard to continue forward. When I turn around, Zahara is headed this way, her books clutched tight in her arms as she shoves her way through the crowd without a single care for who she knocks into along the way. There's concern written all over her face. "How is she?" The redhead asks as she catches up to me. 

"Fine, Pomfrey fixed her right up." Zahara brushes a few stray hairs from her face. 

"Why aren't you with her?" She cocks a suspicious brow and I stuff my hands into my pockets to keep from fidgeting under her intense stare. 

"She told me I could leave." That's the best I can come up with on the spot and her expression darkens further, knowing I'm lying without even having to question me. I'm reminded of all Heidi has told me about her best friend, the fierce loyalty, the short temper, and I let out an anxious breath for what's to come. 

"Malfoy," She draws out while stepping closer. 

"Yes?" I glance around at the moving crowd and wish I could disappear into it so as not to have to face the wrath of the redhead in front of me. 

"What did you do?" 

"Nothing." It's a weak defense, but I've got nothing better. 

"I like you, Draco, I do. I love that my best friend is having fun for the first time in her life with you, but please do not forget that I will curse you into a six foot grave if you so much as hurt her feelings." Zahara points a thin, pale finger at me while holding my gaze. It's only now that I notice her nails are incredibly long, painted black with sharp, pointed tips, like talons. She's looking at me like she wants to poke one right through my eye. Maybe if I end up in a bed beside Heidi, she'll forget that I denied her comfort. 

"I understand." Her intense stare turns into a smirk before she pats me on the shoulder. 

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page. Now, whatever you did to upset her, fix that because the four of us are doing something fun after the Quidditch match, tonight." 

"Zahara, I'm not sure about that." I think about the way Heidi had looked at me last. The way she'd plastered a fake smile on her face and my chest squeezes involuntarily. 

"I am and that's what's important." She starts to head off in the direction of the Slytherin common room. "Make good with her, Malfoy!" She calls out over her shoulder as she goes and I can't stop the heavy sigh that leaves my chest. 

****  
HEIDI  


By the time I'm released from the hospital wing, classes have all ended and my eyesight is back to normal. No more purple tinge to my sight and no more burning every time I blink. What I really want is to go back to the common room, curl up in my bed and go to sleep. The halls are silent as I make my way along the stones towards the library. Everyone must be out on the pitch having a good time getting ready for the match. As I round the corner nearest the library entrance, I'm startled by a figure leaning against the wall not far from the double doors. 

"Merlin's beard, Draco. You've just given me a heart attack." I breathe out while placing a hand on my chest. 

"Sorry," He mumbles as he moves closer. The corridor is deserted and quiet. He's wearing his Quidditch uniform, as if he had stopped here on his way out. 

"I told you I had studying to do." I mumble as I look down at the ground. "I can't make it to the match if that's why you've waited."

"I know that isn't true." Draco comes to a stop in front of me with his hands tucked into the pockets of his robes. He shrugs his shoulders, his face calm and clear of any emotions. Whatever he was having a fit about earlier seems to have faded away, at least for now. "Have you forgotten we work on our assignments together? I knew that was a lie the moment you said it." 

"Then maybe you should've taken the hint." I snap, my bruised feelings on display. I try to push past him, but he sidesteps and blocks me again. I have a momentary flashback of the Slytherin party at the beginning of term when he had kept me from leaving the dark classroom. 

"Wait," I cross my arms over my chest and lock eyes with him. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm an ass."

"No, Draco, you were smart. You were much smarter than I've been lately."

"What's that suppose to mean?" His brow furrows and he steps closer.

"It means we were irresponsible. It means I've put people in danger being this close to you." I motion between the two of us. "I had some time to think in the hospital wing and I think it's best if we put whatever this is, to the wayside."

"What?" His voice is full of disbelief. "You're breaking up with me?" My heart jumps into my throat at those words. 

"We, we were never dating—" I stammer. 

"What the hell do you call it, then?" Draco's voice gets louder and I realize, now, that this meant as much to him as it did me. "You think I talk about my life with anyone? That I share my deepest fears with Pansy Parkinson?" The words are laced with anger and I know that I've hurt him. 

"You know what I mean." My voice shakes as I squeeze my hands together. My chest feels tight and I wonder how we got here. Would any of this have happened if he had just been on time for Potions class?

"Save it." He snaps and shoves past me. I'm left standing in the corridor alone, feeling like I've lost a lot more than just a friend.

•••

After an hour or two of killing time in the library, I make my way back to the common room to find the Quidditch team, along with most of the fifth and sixth years, replaying the match. Before I go any further, I search for the silver haired Malfoy plaguing my mind, but see he's no where to be found in the crowd. Good. The match had been close from what I can tell, but with Ron Weasley as the new Gryffindor keeper, we had lost. Zahara sits perched on Adrian's lap in a leather chair by the fire, a smile on her face as they watch Theodore recreate a play that almost sent Fred and George Weasley, both, flying off their brooms into the Ravenclaw stands.

"Heidi! Where have you been?" Zahara calls out when she sees me enter. I make my way over and slide into the chair beside the happy couple. 

"The library. I had to finish the Arithmancy assignment." 

"We waited for you." Theodore continues on with his story as Zahara leans in close so she can hear me over the chatter."I thought you would come out to the pitch when Madam Pomfrey let you leave." She eyes me with suspicion, as if she knows something I don't. Adrian sits quietly, his back leaning against the high back of the chair as he listens, his attention split between Knott's story and his girlfriend's interrogation. 

"I thought about it, but I've just gotten so behind." I lie while looking down at the floor. 

"Your eye looks good as new." She inspects every inch of my face for any kind of permanent damage. "Listen, I know Draco did something to upset you. I caught him in the corridor after class looking guilty as ever. What happened?" 

"He was miserable to be around at Quidditch, too." Adrian speaks up. "We probably would have had those Gryffindor gits if our seeker had his head in the game." 

"It was nothing, really." I can tell by the look on Zahara's face that she doesn't believe a word of it. "There was just a bit of a misunderstanding, but we've cleared it up and everything is fine." Adrian sits up and squeezes Zahara's thigh, signaling her to stand so he can get up. 

"I'm going to go see if Zabini's got a bottle of firewhisky hidden under his mattress." He leans down to kiss her on the lips before heading up the stairs towards the boys dormitory. 

"Is everything okay with the two of you, then?" The redhead asks while scooting back to take up more space in the chair. All I can do is shrug in response. "No one's seen him since the match ended. He stormed off the pitch and disappeared." 

"I'm sure he's fine." I don't know if I even believe that, myself. Clearly, he had been distracted earlier in the day and the tiff between us only seemed to agitate him further. Combine that with a Quidditch game against our biggest rivals, I would say he needs some time to himself. "I'm going to change and head down to the kitchens to see if I can find something to eat." 

"Would you like some company?" 

"Sure, I'll be down in just a second." Without another word, I head for the stairs and make my way towards the girls dormitory. As I reach the turn, Adrian pops his head out of the doors on the left, a bottle of Ogden's in one hand. 

"Off to bed so soon?" He questions as he comes closer while taking a pull from the bottle. 

"No, Zahara and I were going to head down to the kitchens since I missed dinner." 

"Mind if I join you? Unless, this is one of those girls only things Zahara has told me about." He motions towards the stairs with his free hand. "I've heard enough about Quidditch for one night."

"Only if you swear I won't be the odd one out."

"You have my word." Adrian places a hand over his heart, the corners of his lips twitching with a soft smirk. I can see what Zahara sees in him, now as we stand together in the quiet of the upper hall. I use to think he was terrifying. 

Adrian Pucey was always taller than all of the other students. You could spot him first in any crowd at over six feet. With round, dark eyes that always seemed too big for his face, it was as if he could curse you with just one look. Or worse, pull any secrets you might be hiding to the surface. It's clear to me why he's always been so close with Draco. They both hold darkness in their stare. I wonder what they talk about when no one else is around to hear. 

As I look at him from my friend's perspective, all the reasons I feared him seem less frightening. His coal black gaze isn't scary. It's aware, all-seeing, and focused even after a few sips of whisky. I'm reminded in this moment of what Zahara had said when I'd asked her about him— 'He's got a very dark mind, don't be fooled, he hasn't had an easy life.' I wonder what that could mean. I wonder what horrors Adrian Pucey has seen. 

The three of us make our way to the kitchens and steal, with some help from the elves, a few bottles of pumpkin juice along with pastries and other sweets from dinner. 

"Adrian, if you don't put the firewhisky down, you'll be as drunk as a flobberworm before we even make it outside." Zahara warns as her boyfriend tips the dwindling bottle up to pour a hefty amount down his throat. 

"What do I care?" He shrugs, doing his best not to drop the load of snacks while multitasking. "We lost our match. I'll drink as much as I want." The two continue to bicker as we pass by a few late night Gryffindor's cheering and celebrating their victory. Each time, Adrian's nose wrinkles up with distaste when we hear them mumbling comments about how much Slytherin sucks. "Yeah, yeah, you filthy lion headed _wankers!_ " Adrian shouts at a group of fifth years as they pass us by.

"Shut up, you'll get us all caught," Zahara snaps while slapping him across the chest. The somewhat inebriated Pucey almost drops our snacks onto the stone floor. "Gryffindor and Slytherin alike, we're all breaking curfew. I don't need detention again because of your loud mouth." I reach over to take a few things to lighten his load as he shifts unsteadily. 

"We can slip out here," I point to the passageway Draco and I frequently use to visit the Black Lake. The three of us end up just outside the castle, fully intended on heading for the Owlery, when the sound of breaking glass pulls both Zahara and my attention. When I turn back, Adrian is standing stock-still just outside the wooden door with a tight expression on his face, the firewhisky bottle shattered on the stone walkway at his feet. The food we had snatched also lays abandoned, the pastries soaking up the spilled spirit. 

"What's wrong?" Zahara takes a step towards him. "Adrian, what is it?" He makes no move and I search around in the darkness for any sign of a threat, my heart thumping, but there is none. 

" _Lumos!_ " I whisper out, wand in hand, to create some sort of light for us to see by. 

"Adrian, you're scaring me." Zahara takes Adrian's face in his hands and forces him to look down at her. As I step closer, I can see the sudden switch when the void expression in his eyes turns to one of fear. 

"We've got to get to the astronomy tower." My eyebrows scrunch in confusion. He pulls Zahara's hands from his face and intertwines their fingers before yanking her in that direction. "Now!" He throws back over his shoulder. 

"Wait, why?" I call out while trying to keep up, my wand held out in front of me so I don't trip and fall on the uneven ground. I'm not sure how Adrian is managing with all that he's drank, but it seems he's sobered significantly in the last few moments. "What's at the astronomy tower?" 

"Just listen to him, Heidi, come on. Move faster." Zahara's voice this time. There's no room for more questions in her tone.


	10. Family Promises

**HEIDI**

Days pass by with my mind on autopilot. I do my best to avoid the common room so as not to bump into the blonde Slytherin boy, so most afternoons are spent in the girls dormitory with books as company. Zahara does her best, but I know how much she enjoys her time with Adrian so I don't blame her for not wallowing with me. 

It's on one of these typical, boring evenings when Andromeda steps into the room earlier than usual with a smile on her face. She slips out of her outer robes leaving her in a white button down tucked into her checked skirt.

"You and Malfoy aren't a thing anymore, are you?" She asks with a bite of her bottom lip and I'm caught off guard by the blunt question. My eyes freeze on the page of my most recent novel before slowly trailing up to see her face. Her cheeks are flushed and she seems nervous, but excited. 

"No." My answer is short and I offer her no other information. 

"I was just checking, because he asked me to go as his date to the Halloween feast. I swallow through the tightness in my throat and force a smile. 

"That's great." I lie through clenched teeth. 

"Are you sure? I don't want things to be weird between us. We do share a room." Her tone seems genuine and knowing her as I do, I wouldn't think she would be the type to make me jealous. That would be a Pansy Parkinson move. 

"It's fine. No weirdness." I close the book and stand from the bed before reaching for a thick, cream colored sweater to throw on over my tank top with the black tights I'm already wearing. The air in the room has thickened since her arrival and I need an escape. 

"Heidi, I can always tell him no." Andromeda points out when she sees me trying to shove my feet into a pair of fur lined boots with a little too much aggression. 

"I said it was fine." I snap before grabbing my scarf and storming out of the room, making sure to slam the door behind me. I have no claim to Draco. I can't tell Andromeda she can't go to the feast with him, but a part of me feels stupid for letting myself care so much. He clearly doesn't, he's made it obvious he's moved on already. 

I zoom through the corridors until I make it outside the castle and the setting sun has turned the already mystical scene into something other worldly. Shadows play along the grounds creating illusions of figures that aren't really there. The black lake is illuminated with a spray of multi colors as the sky turns into an orange and pink swirl. 

This spot is where Draco took me the first time we spent real time together. We had sat out here by the fir tree in the sunshine and read for hours and for someone who had never been on a date with a boy before, it was pretty close to perfect. 

I gulp in a breath of air as my chest clenches and I can feel the backs of my eyes start to burn with tears. The white fog of my breath swirls around my face and the sting of chilly autumn air freezes my lungs. 

Like I said in the corridor the last night we spoke, we were not dating, but it doesn't change the loss I feel when I think of him. It was almost more than that because I could feel the way his soul hurt the way mine did. He's the only person in the world who could possibly understand my secrets. He's the only person who ever tried to and I had pushed him away. This is my fault. 

My arms wrap around myself as I fold my legs and drop to the grass where I sit in silence. The tears fall but I don't make a sound so as to not draw any attention to myself if someone were to happen by. In this moment the weight of my future comes crashing down around me and I feel as if I can't breathe. 

As if the Dark Lord knows my mind is weak and vulnerable, the ink on the back of my neck begins to tingle. It's soft at first, almost soothing but I know the pain is just to come. I try my best to empty myself of all emotions, to turn myself into a vacuum so there's nothing there to read like I was taught, but it's all too much and before I know it I'm flat on my back on the grass writhing in misery as he takes what he wants from me.

**DRACO**

"Hey, mate. Have you seen your girl recently?" Adrian asks as he steps into the dormitory we share with Blaise. 

"She's not my girl." I mumble without looking up from the piece of parchment my mother had sent me by owl this afternoon. Her words are uplifting, but they hold a much more sinister meaning. Her sentences are coded, but I know exactly what she means. She wants to know how the vanishing cabinet is coming along and she wants to know immediately. 

"Yeah, right." I glance up at him and he's running his hand over his head. "Well, Zahara is looking for her and no ones seen her in a while." I can tell he feels awkward and it's an odd sight to see, his tall, usually confident frame looming in the doorway looking like he wants to bolt. "Thought maybe you could help. I guess not." Adrian turns to leave but I call out his name to stop him. 

"Where was she last?" I set the piece of parchment down and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. 

"Andromeda said they were talking in the dormitories and then she left." My heart stops in my chest. I had asked Andromeda to the Halloween feast earlier this afternoon after Blaise joked about how Pansy was dead set on asking me. I didn't want to go with her, in fact I didn't even know her really, but anyone was better than Pansy. I know exactly why Heidi hasn't been around. "We've checked everyone in the castle we can think of."

"Shes not in the castle." I snap out before standing and slipping my arms into the black coat hanging on the rack by the door. "I'll find her." I shove past Adrian and make my way down the steps and out of the common room, ignoring a few greetings along the way. I know Heidi won't be inside these walls and my guesses are either the lake or somewhere near holed up with a book. 

It takes almost a full hour to search the grounds and I start to give up hope after checking all of her favorite spots. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe she had locked herself in an empty classroom. Maybe she had taken refuge in another house's common room. 

As I'm headed back up to the castle, I catch sight of a figure laying in the grass in a cluster of fir trees. It dawns on me that this is where I had taken her that first day, and my heart rate picks up. I rush over and find her laying on her back, her eyes closed as her lids flutter like she's having a bad dream.

"Heidi." I shake her by the shoulders but she doesn't stir. "Heidi, wake up." My voice raises an octave as I realize she's not just sleeping. Her body is limp but I can see her chest moving up and down with rapid breaths. I tap my flat palm against her cheek, soft at first but harder when I get no response. Panic sets in and I don't know what to do. I could carry her to Snape, or I could yell for help. I look around for signs of anyone, but there are none. 

Suddenly, a gasp leaves her chest like she'd been holding her breath and she springs up in my arms, her eyes wide with terror. 

"Are you alright?" I take her face in my hands. 

"Draco?" She cries out when she gets her bearings and she settles enough to recognize who's next to her. 

"It's me, you're alright." I try to soothe her but she rips herself from my grasp. 

"He knows." Tears start to stream down her cheeks as a sob leaves her throat. "He knows everything. I couldn't stop him." Her hand snaps up to cover her mouth. 

"Who?" I regret the question the moment it leaves my mouth. Of course I know who. 

"Voldemort. He saw everything." She repeats. "The way I feel for you, the dread I feel for him." The words spill out like she hadn't thought any of this out, like her walls have come down due to sheer fear. 

"Why would he be interested in that?" My eyebrows furrow as I watch her. She takes a few long, deep breaths to get herself together and I don't miss the way her eyes glisten with unshed tears. 

"I'm his, Draco." Her honey colored eyes move up to lock with mine and they are so clear in the moonlight. I'm baffled by her words and I open my mouth to respond, but close it seconds later when nothing comes out. "Not in the way a Death Eater is his, but more than that." She looks off in the direction of the Black Lake before speaking again. "I was eight when my parents promised their only daughter to the Dark Lord. " 

"You're serious." I breathe out, finding it easy enough to put the missing pieces together in my mind. 

"Deadly." She whispers before looking down at the grass. Her slender fingers tear at the terrain as we sit in silence, the shreds of dying grass fluttering off in the breeze. 

"We should get back. Snape will want to see you after this." I can't think of anything else to say and she looks up at me like she knows exactly what I'm thinking. 

"Yeah, you're right." Her voice is weak and she stands on her own with wobbly legs. I reach for her but she raises a hand. She takes a few steps towards the castle, her movements slow as if she's sore. "Heidi." I call out once I've gotten my head out of my ass. She stops and turns. "What if I can't accept that?" Her face contorts with sadness. 

"You don't have a choice." Her shoulders shrug as her bottom lip trembles and I do the only thing I can think of. I close the gap between us and slip my fingers up her neck to cradle her face and press my lips to hers. Heidi stumbles back but I lock one arm around her waist to hold her against me. There's no resistance from her. Her body molds against mine as her arms wrap around my neck and I want nothing more than to absorb the pain I know she's feeling. 

I've never felt like I belonged with anyone. At Hogwarts, a reputation follows me everywhere I turn causing everyone to keep me at arms length. I have friends, but not really. My own father sees me as more of a pawn in this game than a son and my mother, well she's just as lost as I am. If I'm going to die at the hands of Voldemort, I don't want to regret not knowing what this feels like. 

"Let's get you to Snape." I whisper against the skin of her neck as my hands slip down her body to rest on her hips. "You need a mind barrier potion so I can do this for the rest of the night." I can feel her shiver against me as her fingers lace through the hair at the back of my head. 

"You know this is dangerous." Her gaze flickers down to my lips. "It will get us both killed." For the first time since I found her there's no fear in her voice. The tip of her pointer finger ghosts across my cheek and down to the collar of my shirt where she brushes over my heart.

"What if I'm doomed, anyway?" Heidi purses her mouth in a firm line. I pull back from her and take her hand in mine behind pulling her back up towards the castle. 

When we make it to Snape's office, I can see the irritation radiating off of him like smoke when he sees us together. He had swung the door open and allowed us through, but not before narrowing his eyes and sizing me up. 

Heidi takes a seat on the same couch she had been laid on the first night Voldemort broke through her barriers and I can see the disappointment on Snape's face as she tells the story of what had happened out on the grounds. 

"This is totally irresponsible." The professor snaps at the two of us as I stand near the door with my hands in my pockets. "I told you what would happen if you made ignorant choices and now here we are." Snape paces back and forth, his robes swishing along behind him. 

"Yes, but Professor, this life isn't mine. I didn't choose this." Heidi tries to defend herself. 

"It doesn't matter!" His voice raises almost to a shout as he stops in front of her. She shrinks into herself on the couch and looks small, almost childlike as he scolds her like a father would. "This must end immediately." His attention turns to me. "Go back to the common room, Draco." I take a step forward and open my mouth to defend myself but Snape raises a hand. "I won't hear of it. I won't hear another word." When I look down at Heidi she's watching me and she gives me a slow nod, as if telling me it's okay to leave her. 

I hesitate before turning to take my leave, feeling more defeated than ever. Instead of returning to the dungeons, I make my way upstairs to the Room of Requirements where my task lies.

**HEIDI**

Once Draco is gone, Snape steps back over and kneels on the floor in front of me. There's sorrow in his eyes and it seems the anger has subsided for now. 

"I know that this isn't the life you would have chosen for yourself. I know that you are missing out on an entire world of experiences as a teenager, and I am sorry for that." I let out a shaky breath as he speaks. "I was chosen to watch over you, to be your Godfather not because I would see you every day while at Hogwarts, but because you are the closest thing to a child I will ever have. I'm only trying to protect you."

"I care for him." I whisper as I think of Draco and Snape's face falls. "It's all so unfair." 

"The only thing that makes life unfair Heidi, is the delusion that it should be fair. I would not have chosen this life for you. If I had been your parents I would've sooner chosen death, but we are here now." Snape stands and pops a familiar looking vial off of the shelf of potions. "The mind barrier." He places it into my hand and closes my fingers around it. "Tomorrow we press on with Occlumency." I stare down at the glass tube. 

"He took everything from me this time." I whisper out without looking up at him. "It was different than before, more painful. It was like everything inside of me was being funneled out and replaced with black fog." 

"The dark arts call it the Widows Snare. It's an old war tactic." Snape laces his fingers in front of him. "Those memories are his now. You must be getting back." Snape heads for the door and holds it open for me. I stand from my spot on the couch and make my way out the door without another word.


	11. Peace

**HEIDI**

That night I lay awake on one of the leather couches In the Slytherin common room, my eyes trained on the emerald flames in the fireplace. By the time I got back it was late and so I had stumbled into the showers before changing into a forest green satin pajama set. The shorts and tank top had left me feeling chilled, so I had wrapped myself in a fur blanket and collapsed where I currently still sit. 

The flames have started to die down so the room is engulfed in an eerie glow which emulates the way I'm feeling well. Everything inside of me feels empty and I know it's because of what he had done to my mind earlier today. 

I hadn't noticed I'd started to doze off until I snap back to reality by the sound of a group of Slytherin's coming into the common room from the corridor. I look over the back of the couch to see Blaise, Adrian, and Zahara all laughing and having a good time. I lay back without announcing my presence but Zahara had seen me in the nick of time. I hear her mumble a few hushed words to the guys before she steps around the sofa, a worried look on her face. 

"You look like hell, Heidi." She kneels down beside me and runs a hand over my face, pushing back the hair that hadn't had a chance to fully dry yet. Blaise and Adrian set up shop at one of the tables across the room and I can hear the sounds of them setting up a round of wizards chess. 

"Thanks." Zahara rolls her eyes as she reaches to take one of my hands in hers. 

"Are you feeling okay? Do you need to go see Madam Pomfrey?" I shake my head no and continue looking into the fireplace. "Talk to me." A sigh leaves my chest as my eyes flutter closed. "Is it Draco?" I can hear her shift a little. "Adrian, darling, go get Malfoy so I can ring his neck, please." I have no energy to explain that the way I'm feeling is much deeper than a boy. I open my eyes to see Adrian heading up the staircase, no question asked, to the boys dormitory.   
Moments later Draco comes down and when he sees me there's a look of regret all over him. 

"What did you do?" Zahara snaps as she motions towards me. 

"He didn't do anything." I sit up in my spot, the blanket falling to my waist as I shift. Zahara knows very well that Draco and I had decided to part ways, well, I had decided for us and he's been on her hex list ever since. 

"You were fine until you got involved with this half wit baboon!" Zahara stands and shoves Draco's shoulders. He takes the hit like a man and makes no move to retaliate. The altercation gets the attention of her boyfriend as well as Blaise and they stay back, but near enough in case something were to happen in which they'd need to intervene. "Now you're sulking all of the time, I barely see you, you look sick. What else could it be?"

There's concern written all over her face and it hurts me because I know I can't tell her. I can't reassure my best friend that it will all be okay. Draco stays quiet as if he's willing to take whatever my best friend wants to dish out. If she wants to accuse him of hurting me, he's at peace with it if it means she won't press for the truth. 

"It's not his fault." I reiterate and she looks from me to him and back again. She lets out a frustrated huff and throws her hands in the air. "I can't explain." This whole situation is a nightmare. I never wanted to ever bring attention to myself like this and now here we are, having arguments in the common room for anyone to see or hear. 

Zahara's stubborn nature takes hold and she rips the blanket away from me, exposing my bare legs for everyone to see and I reach out for it but she shakes her head. 

"Off to bed, now." Zahara snaps her fingers. "You look like you're two steps from death's door." I feel self conscious as I stand from the couch, very aware of the four sets of eyes on me. Draco turns his back and walks over to Adrian where he mumbles something in his ear. I make my way to the staircase and the stone is cold against my bare feet causing me to shiver. 

Once I'm out of sight of the common room, I hear footsteps behind me and I turn to see Draco heading up as well. As I go to turn right at the top of the stairs towards my room, I'm caught around the waist by a pair of arms. Draco says nothing as he presses my back flush to his front and squeezes before turning me to the left towards the boys' rooms. Warmth spreads from chest to the rest of my body and it's the first real thing I've felt in days. 

Draco keeps me against him as he opens the door and pushes me inside. Only then does he release his grip. The room is similar to mine, but instead of smelling like perfume I'm engulfed in a bubble of cedar wood and amber. It smells just like Draco. There's three beds spaced evenly with their personal items littered about. I turn to Draco's corner and see the linens ruffled unlike the other two where the beds are neatly made as if he had been laying down when Zahara sent Adrian to retrieve him. 

Once I've taken in the room I look over to see Draco watching me. I stand almost awkwardly, having never been in a boys room before and he seems to notice. I watch as he lifts one of his hands up to pull the black sweater over his head, leaving him in a thin thermal knit long sleeve tee all while keeping his eyes locked on mine.

Draco takes a few long strides over and presses a hand to my lower stomach and pushes me back where my knees hit the edge of the bed and I fall back onto it. He comes with me, one hand reaching to lace through the hair at the nape of my neck while the other supports his weight. His lips find mine and there's no resistance from me to speak of. The kiss is unlike any we've shared. This one is full of need and the hand in my hair tugs hard enough to pull my head back so Draco can move his lips from mine to my jaw and down to my neck. 

"Draco." I breathe out his name as his hand leaves my hair and trails down my body where it slides up under the satin tank top to the sensitive skin above my hips. My head tips back into the blankets as he lifts the material up under my bust where he moves his kisses to my stomach. His lips leave a trail of goosebumps from one hip bone to the other and when I risk a look down he's staring up at me with those slate grey eyes. His teeth nip along the skin of my ribcage and I move my hands to thread through his hair. 

It's strange to me that I had never even kissed a boy until Draco, not really anyway, and now here we are, a few weeks later and nothing has ever felt more natural, more real than this. Draco crawls back up my body and claims my lips in a heated kiss and I sigh against him. I say a silent thank you for the mind barrier potion because I don't want to have to focus on anything but the here and now. 

The feel of him fills in the empty void I had felt earlier as if his touch is reviving every dead part of me the Dark Lord touched. I know what we are doing is a death sentence for us both, but I can't tell him to stop. 

The blonde boy sits up on his knees and reaches to pull the remaining shirt from his body to expose his bare chest and I look him over with hooded eyes. He does the same as his eyes scan me up and down from my naked legs in the pajama shorts to the exposed skin of my stomach and they linger in my chest where my nipples have hardened against the satin confinement. 

"I'm not going to walk away from this." His voice is low and full of vindication as his hands stroke my upper thighs before moving up and he watches my expression for any sign of hesitance as he runs his flat palms up under the tank top to expose my naked chest to him. Self conscious nerves start to kick in but there's nothing but approval written all over his face as he leans down to take one hardened bud into his mouth. A gasp leaves my lips as my hand caresses the back of his neck and my legs wind around his waist. 

"We're doomed anyway, right?" I whisper, repeating the words he had said to me before with a shaky voice as he nips at the sensitive flesh. My words pull his attention and his eyes have turned dark. Draco sits up once again but this time he reaches for the curtains and he shuts the world out with the tug of his hand. The space inside the four poster bed darkens and seeing him like this with just a sliver of light to make out his face fills me with almost an impatience.

My breath catches in my throat as he moves almost in slow motion as he rests between my legs on his knees and reaches for the edge of the pajama shorts before pulling them down slow enough to send my brain into a frenzy. His eyes focus on his own movements as he drags them down my legs and tosses them to the head of the bed. I sit up enough to pull the tank top over my head before scooting back further onto the bed so my legs are no longer hanging over the edge. 

It's no secret that Draco isn't a virgin, so it soothes my nerves to know theres at least one person here who knows what they're doing. Draco seems to sense what I'm thinking and takes my wrist before dragging me up into a steamy lip lock that stirs butterflies in my stomach. His finger tips explore every inch of newly exposed skin and as they work lower the kiss only intensifies. 

We fall back into the pillows in a flurry of eager touches and rapid breaths and by the time he sheds the last remnant of his clothing my whole body is on fire. One of his hands squeezes my upper thigh and hitches it around his waist while his other laces his fingers through mine and presses them down into the mattress beside my head. 

Draco leans down so our bodies are skin to skin and he claims my lips once more as he presses against my entrance. My breath catches in my throat as I tip my head back, breaking apart from his mouth and he buries his face in my neck. Inch by inch he buries himself inside me and his hips set a slow pace while my body adjusts. 

His teeth nip at the skin of my shoulder before he lifts his head to lock eyes with me and I can see he needed this as much as I did. My fingers glide over the skin of his arms as the discomfort changes to pleasure. My legs wind around his waist and a shaky breath leaves his chest as he moves faster. It doesn't take long before I'm clinging to his neck while trying to get enough air in my lungs. The feel of Draco's hands on my hips, squeezing hard enough to leave indentations of his fingers and the sound of his rapid breaths sends a shock of pleasure through my body. 

All too soon he pulls away and sits back on his knees once again, leaving me feeling empty. His hands dance over my waist and down my thighs to my ankles where he drags them over to rest on his shoulders and the sight of him like that in the dark causes me to shiver. I'm drug closer to him by the waist and he slips back inside me with a groan and I grip the sheets in my hands beside my head. Everything about this moment is pure bliss and I want to stay here in this safe place forever. 

When it all becomes too much to take, he releases my legs, allowing them to fall around his waist as he lowers himself over me once more. My hands thread through his, but he squeezes them almost painfully so as he forces them over my head. Draco's movements have turned harder and slower which has me begging in his ear for release. I claim his lips as the butterflies in my stomach bloom into a white ball of pleasure and I cry out against his mouth just seconds before he curses and stills, his head dropping to rest against my chest. 

The only sound inside the four poster bed is our ragged breathing as I run my fingers along the trail of his spine. I stare up at the ornate ceiling and relish the buzz of pleasure still dancing across every inch of my skin. Draco shivers as I glide my fingertips over a sensitive spot near his lower back. The sound that leaves his chest is irresistible and it's followed by a chuckle that vibrates through his body and into mine. It's a pleasant sensation. 

Draco's arms slip between my body and the mattress where he squeezes me tight and he slowly moves down so his head is resting on my stomach. After a moment of silence he rests his chin on my stomach and looks up at me through tired eyes. A soft, content smile forms on my lips as I reach down and brush my finger over his bottom lip and along the side of his face. Draco closes his eyes at my touch and resumes his position with his cheek against my stomach. 

There's no room for words inside these curtains and he seems to understand that. So instead of speaking, we lay in a tangle of limbs while I run my fingers through his hair until the sound of his even breathing tells me he's asleep. It's only then that I close my eyes and try to drift off myself.


	12. No One Can Know

**DRACO**

Morning comes too earlier. As the sound of students waking and heading downstairs filters through the door, I turn over to see Heidi still sound asleep on the other side of the bed. She had thrown on the black long sleeved shirt I had shed the night before and she lays now on her stomach, the material having ridden up around her middle. The onyx colored sheet is tangled around her legs and bits of pale skin peek out where she isn't covered. 

I sit up enough to look out of the curtains to see Adrian and Blaise's beds empty and I wonder if they'd listened to me and slept in the common room. I knew the moment I saw Heidi looking lost on the couch in the common room last night that she needed peace and solitude. My two jokester friends were not the cure for her pain even if this is their room.

My mind wanders to the night before and how utterly content I feel for the first time in months, even if I know our actions will surely get us both killed if anyone were to find out. If I understand Heidi correctly, she's been promised to the Dark Lord as some sort of gift and as an old fashioned wizard, I can't imagine he would welcome her with open arms if she were anything but pure. There's something about knowing I got to take that away from him that gives me satisfaction, that it's me that gets to keep that piece of her. 

There had been no hesitance from the brunette sleeping beside me and it was almost as if she had been waiting for an opportunity to make her life hers again. To make a real choice on her own that made her happy. 

I reach out as I watch her sleep and brush my fingertips over the exposed skin of her side. My touch follows the curve of her body over her hip to her upper thigh and goosebumps rise on her skin as she lets out a soft sigh. Heidi's eyes flutter open and for the first time in days there's no heavy circles under them. 

"Morning." Her voice is laced with sleep as she gazes at me through her long, dark lashes. 

"Good morning." I lean over and press a kiss to her lips before turning over on my back and staring up at the ceiling. 

"What time is it?" I glance over at the round clock on the wall to see it nearing seven thirty. 

"Time to rejoin reality." A smirk pulls at her lips as she slides across the bed and runs a hand over my bare chest before resting it under my chin around my throat. Her soft lips find mine as her hair falls around our faces and her leg slips over my waist before she raises up on her free hand to straddle me. I pull back and raise an eyebrow at her and she giggles. It's the sweetest sound I've ever heard. I rest my hands on her naked thighs and give them a squeeze.

"Not just yet." She breathes out as her movements become bolder and she presses light kisses along my throat and down my chest. Her hands follow her movements and my grip on her legs tightens as she uses her tongue to trace shapes along my collar bone. 

When she pulls back she's smirking up at me as if knowing exactly the effect she has. Her lower body connects with mine as she sits up and I hold her there as a dark laugh leaves my chest. I sit up, my hand reaching to grab her by the back of her neck as I bring our lips back together and the most delicious noise leaves her chest. I'm fully prepared to give her exactly what she's asking for in this moment even if I'm barely awake. 

"This has to stay a secret." Heidi whispers against my mouth as she runs her tongue over my bottom lip and I nod. "That means you're going to take Andromeda to the Halloween feast." I pull back and furrow my brows. I hadn't expected that to come from her. 

"What?" She shifts her hips against my lower body and my eyes snap shut at the friction the movement creates. 

"It's not safe, anymore. Not after what happened yesterday." 

"You're going to be the death of me." I mumble as she rocks her hips back and forth and I'm fully prepared to push her over and have my way with her one more time but the sound of feet on the stairs pulls our attention. Seconds later we hear the door swinging open and Heidi freezes in my arms. A look of surprise washes over her face. 

"Draco?" Theodore Knott's voice calls out. 

"Yeah?" I hold a finger up to Heidi's lips, signaling her to be silent. It's one thing for Adrian or Blaise to know Heidi had spent the night in here, but it would be different for anyone else to find out. 

"Urquhart needs us on the Quidditch Pitch." 

"Alright, thanks." Luckily, the curtains are drawn around the bed and the Slytherin boy can't see a thing. 

"Fifteen minutes he said." 

"I'll be there." I snap and I hear the sound of the door clicking shut. Heidi covers her mouth with her hand as she laughs once the coast is clear. I lift her at the waist so I can slip out of the confinement that is my bed and pull back one side of the curtains to step out onto the floor. Heidi searches around for her own pajamas that had been tossed aside and she turns her back to me to change. 

As I pull on a thick, black sweater and tailored dress pants I watch as she strips my shirt off her body revealing her naked back and a groan leaves my chest. She turns her head to look at me over her shoulder and a sly smile pulls at her mouth. I step forward and slip my arms around her waist and she raises hers to cover her exposed chest, but I take her by the wrists and force them down to her sides. My flat palms run over her stomach and up over her breasts where I squeeze enough to earn a soft moan from her as she leans back into my chest. 

"You have to go." She whispers out as I move her hair to the side to reveal the black ink that trails along her neck. I press my lips there and she shivers as her eyes snap closed. 

"I know." I take her by the throat and force my lips onto hers in a deep kiss that has my heart racing by the end of it. When I pull back she unwinds herself from my grip and snatches up her top before I can stop her. The playful look on her face fills me with warmth knowing her change in demeanor is because of us together. 

"Go!" Heidi teases as she finishes dressing and then steps onto the floor in front of me. We both step towards the door and I pop my head out to make sure there's no prying eyes before giving her the all clear. Heidi steps past me, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek as she goes and I laugh as I watch her tip toe down the hall to the girls rooms. 

**HEIDI**

As the door to my room shuts I'm startled by Zahara laying on her stomach in bed with a quill in her hand and parchment laid out in front of her. Her eyes snap up to me and she cocks a suspicious eyebrow. 

"I thought you would be at breakfast." I breathe out as my heart rate slows back to a normal pace. 

"I thought you went to bed after you left the common room." She sits up in bed and crosses her legs underneath her. "Spill it. All of it." Her hands rest on her hips as she eyes me up and down. I know that the mind barrier potion has worn off by now and before saying a word I focus in on what Snape had taught me. Without someone trying to pry into my head, it's easy to empty myself of all thoughts. Zahara watches me with interest and her mouth falls open when she realizes exactly what I'm doing. 

"You've done it." She gasps. "You've learned Occlumency." I nod as I feel the familiar invisible rubber band stretch itself around my mind. "Who's trying time get inside your head, Heidi? Why do you need to hide anything at all?" I give her a look and she seems to understand it's one of the many things I can't share with her. 

"I spent the night with Draco." Her expression changes from intrigue to mischief. The guilt is written all over my face and there's no hiding what we had gotten up to. 

"Oh? My sweet, innocent little Heidi Scarlet spent the night in the boys dormitory?" I nod my head up and down. "And how are the beds over there across the hall?" I'm fully aware that her question implies a lot more than the amenities in the other room. 

"Fantastic." I breathe out and she squeals while clapping her hands. 

"Honestly, I'm impressed. I thought you'd have graduated Hogwarts before I heard those words." 

"Zahara!"

"What, it's true!" She teases. Zahara picks up her quill once more and let's out a whistling sound through her teeth as I make my way over to my trunk to grab some fresh clothes. . "Draco Malfoy. Who would've thought?" I roll my eyes to myself as I slip my arms through a fluffy bathrobe and knot it at the waste. 

"At least he's the same year as me, unlike someone I know." Zahara looks up at me with a smirk. She lets out a dramatic sigh as she reminisces inside her head. 

"Looking back I might not have chosen Jasper Sand as the lucky winner a second time, but it was nice to get it over with." I think back to her month long tryst last term with, at the time, a seventh year Ravenclaw.

"You can't tell anyone." I tell her, my tone turning serious. 

"About you and Malfoy?" I nod. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"I mean it, Zar. No one can even know we are involved." She then realizes the seriousness of the situation and her playful demeanor is gone. 

"Heidi, you know I would do anything for you. If this is what you need, your secret will always be safe with me." I step over to her bed and she wraps me in a tight embrace. 

"I'll be ready in thirty minutes. Meet me in the common room for breakfast?" I ask while heading towards the door. 

"Sure." 

By the time I make it out of the showers dressed in my robes for class, the common room is filled with the entire Slytherin Quidditch team. They're all chatting about the game and discussing the new players who'd made the cut during try outs. Draco sits at one of the tables and it appears he too had gotten ready for the day after making it back from the meeting with their Captain.

Draco makes no move to come over to me and I realize he's listening to what I had told him earlier in the quiet peace of his bed. Students can't be walking about the castle gossiping about the two of us. It was bad enough we were seen together as much as we were over the last few weeks, but now I'll do what I can to convince everyone there's nothing there. 

It's one thing for our closest friends, like Zahara and Adrian, to know because they'd go to their grave with any secret we asked of them to keep, but people with no loyalties to either of us could get us into serious trouble. 

"Hey, Heidi." I look away from the blonde to see Blaise coming over. "I was wondering if you had a date to the Halloween feast yet?" I raise a brow at him as my gaze flickers over his shoulder to Draco once more. His eyes are locked on me as he gives me the subtlest nod of the head. This was his idea, I realize. 

"No, not yet." Blaise seems awkward which is weird coming from him. 

"Would you like to go with me?" 

"I would love to." His face erupts in a smile and it looks nice on him. Just then, Zahara makes an appearance as she comes down the stairs dressed and ready for the day. Adrian greets her at the bottom with a kiss on the cheek and after a moment of light conversation between the two she comes over and loops an arm through mine. 

"How's it going, Zabini?" She asks the boy standing beside me. 

"Good. I've got to get ready for class. I'll see you later?" He asks me and I nod with a smile. Blaise takes his leave and heads up to the boys dormitory. 

"What was that about?" Zahara questions as she looks after him. 

"Just keeping up appearances." I shrug. "He asked me to the Halloween feast." 

"Ah, and Draco is taking our dorm mate I presume?" The realization causes me to scowl. 

"Unfortunately." 

"Anyways," Zahara drags me towards the exit and once we make it out into the corridor she releases her hold. "We'll have to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow to look for something to wear." 

"To the feast?" 

"Of course! It's Adrian and I's first real outing together and you, you have to look downright perfect. Your man is going with someone else, but you better make sure his eyes are on you all night." She teases and bumps my shoulder with hers as we make our way to the Great Hall for breakfast. My stomach turns with excitement as I think about it, but as breakfast comes to an end I can't stop the nagging at the back of my mind because I wish more than anything I could go with Draco.


	13. Meeting

HEIDI

"What do you think about this one?" Zahara asks as she picks up a knee length black dress with long, laced sleeves and holds it out for me to examine. 

"It doesn't seem much like you." I turn my head in question, it's surprisingly simple for my redheaded friend. "I thought you'd pick something," I pause while trying to think of the right word. "bolder."

"For you, silly." She rolls her eyes as if it should've been obvious. "I've already picked my dress. I saw it last week when Pansy and I came down for butter beers. Now, I just have to find it." We are interrupted by the sound of girls giggling over by the changing rooms and Zahara steps over to see who it is. Andromeda Bellchant is standing barefoot in front of a full length mirror clothed in a tea length dress in a deep, burgundy color. 

"You look beautiful." I tell her as she does a twirl and grins. 

"Do you think Draco will like it?" She stares at her reflection while running a hand down the front of the material. I swallow my jealousy and nod. 

"Of course." The curtain hanging above the changing room slides open to reveal Pansy in a shimmering champagne colored dress. The bust is covered in tiny jewels that sparkle with every move she makes. It's stunning. 

"Take it off." Zahara snaps and I drag my attention from the brunette to my friend beside me, my eyes wide with surprise at her sudden hostility. Her face is burning red. "Take it off right now." Pansy plays innocent as she steps forward and nudges Andromeda out of the way of the mirror to get a look at herself. 

"I know you said you liked it," Pansy's voice is cool and even. "but I really think it would have clashed with your hair." The brunette turns to face Zahara. "Don't you agree?"

"That's my dress." Zahara takes a step forward but I grasp at her wrist to stop her. "You could've chosen any of these." She motions towards the racks all around us filled to the brim with different colored pieces. 

"What's that saying about the early bird?" Pansy taps her fingers against her chin in thought. "Ah, that's right, I remember now. They get the dress." 

"Why you little—" Zahara snaps her mouth closed as the shop keeper, a plump old woman, steps over to see what all the fuss is about. 

"You girls getting along over here?" She asks with a raised brow. 

"Of course, thank you." I answer for us and she gives us a knowing look before stepping back and heading over to a few other students across the shop. 

"Do you even have a date?" Zahara seethes and Pansy's eyes narrow.

"That's none of your business." 

"Hah, you don't! We all know you want to go with Malfoy, but you've never quite been good enough for him, right Pansy?" Zahara's words are laced with venom as the two stare each other down. Andromeda shrinks back as if she doesn't want to get caught in the crosshairs of the argument since it's she who gets to go as Draco's date. 

"Take that back." Pansy takes a step towards Zahara, her own expression lethal. 

"I won't because it's true and this right here is why you don't have any real friends." Pansy huffs before storming back into the dressing room. Zahara takes my wrist and drags me over to the other side and starts aggressively flipping through the different options. 

"Are you okay?" I ask her after a few moments of quiet. 

"Of course. I'll just have to find something better."

•••

Later that evening as we sit at dinner the tension is thick as Zahara and Pansy had taken their usual seats across from each other. Zahara hasn't said a word which is unusual for her, instead she sits in silence with a muggle magazine her aunt Katherine had sent to her. 

"I want to be like one of them one day." Zahara whispers to me as she points at one of the photographs. The woman is wearing the latest trends and her hair and makeup is immaculate. She's beautiful. Zahara grew up spending a month every summer with her aunt Katherine who was non-magic so she's no stranger to their ways. 

"I know what you mean." Zahara looks up at me. 

"You want to be a model in the muggle world?" She teases. 

"No, but it would be nice to know what life is like without all of the darkness that comes with ours." My shoulders shrug. 

Right then Adrian steps over to us and leans down to mumble something in Zahara's ear. I can't hear what he says but a smile forms on her lips before he kisses her on the cheek. He turns to me and says hello before reaching over and slipping a piece of folded parchment into my hand discretely. I flash him a confused look and all he gives as an explanation is a quick dart of his gaze over to where Draco sits beside Blaise. Adrian wanders off and out of the Great Hall as I unfold what I had been given. 

Meet me on the seventh floor after dinner is finished. —D

Just as I finish reading the words the ink on the parchment disappears and I'm left with a blank sheet. 

"Malfoy?" Zahara leans down to whisper in my ear. 

"Yeah, he wants me to meet him after everyone heads back to the dorms." When I look up Pansy is eyeing us both with suspicion but I brush it off and stand from the table. "I'm going to go talk to Snape." I tell her before heading out of the Great Hall.

•••

"I need you to test me." I tell the raven haired professor as he grades assignments at his desk. Four quills hang in the air over four students' work and without so much as a glance from Snape they scan the words written and correct the answers where there's need. "I need to know I've got it down." He stands from his chair and comes towards me. Without warning he pulls out his wand. 

"Legilimens!" I hadn't expected him to react so suddenly and I feel myself slip before closing my eyes and blocking out the entire world. I feel him penetrate my thoughts for just a split second before his power is sent spiraling backward. "You've been practicing." There a warmness to his tone and I nod. 

"As much as I can." Snape tucks his wand into his robes and rests on the edge of his desk, all the while he watches me. 

"I can see the boy." My heart race quickens. "You're very fond of Malfoy." I keep my mouth shut, not entirely sure what he saw but I pray it wasn't anything to do with last night. Those thoughts are my most private possessions and I wouldn't share those with anyone. There's a knowing look written all over Snape's face. 

"I am." I breathe out, admitting it to myself as much as Snape. 

"You're teetering along a very dangerous precipice, Heidi." His arms cross over his chest. "You must be absolutely certain those you keep close are worthy of your trust now more than ever." 

"I understand." 

"Do you?" We lock eyes and I say nothing. My silence is my answer. 

I've known all of my life I'm different and that I would never get to have the same experiences as others my age. Now that I have someone who means so much to me, there's nothing in the world I would jeopardize losing that for. 

"I received an owl for you this afternoon." Snape moves around to the other side of his desk and pulls out an envelope. He comes over and places it into my hands. "I assume your family didn't want to send it by the usual means through the Great Hall for a reason. Might be best if you read it in here." I glance up at the clock on the wall and see there's only seven minutes left of dinner. 

"I've got to go. I'll read it in private." I make my way out of his office and up a few flights of stairs before reaching the seventh floor corridor. It's eerily quiet up here with everyone down in the Great Hall, but the silence is interrupted by the sound of footsteps. I turn to see Draco headed this way at a brisk walk. His expression turns from solemn thoughtfulness to a smile when he sees me. 

As Draco reaches me he says nothing, but slips his hands into my waist and pushes me back into the shadows against the wall next to a statue of a knight in silver armor. His lips find mine immediately and I wind my arms around his neck. 

"It's total bullocks not being able to talk to you." He mumbles against my lips before pressing a kiss just below my ear. 

"I agree." I slip my fingers through the hair at the back of his neck and he sighs. "What are we doing up here?" 

"I'll show you." Draco pulls back and paces down the hall before turning and coming back. He does this three times as I stare at him in confusion but he offers no explanation. On his third pass back to me. The wall beside the silver knight begins to transform and I watch in awe. A door forms before my eyes. 

"What is it?"

"The Room of Requirements." Draco step to the door and opens it before motioning at me to pass through. 

"I've heard of it, but never seen it for myself." I step through the threshold and take in all of the clutter. It's everywhere aside from what looks like a path leading through it all. "I expected something," I pause while running my hand over an old, dusty birdcage. "neater." Draco comes up behind me and takes my hand. 

"Come here." He pulls me along as my eyes dart in every direction. We come to a stop in front of a tall, black cabinet and I look at him with confusion written all over my face. 

"A wardrobe. Fascinating."

"It's not a wardrobe." He looks at me like I should know what it is but I shrug. "It's a vanishing cabinet." He watches to see if I have any kind of reaction but I don't know what to think. "This," he opens the door and pulls a letter from the pocket inside his jacket. He places it inside the cabinet before shutting the door. "is my secret." Draco takes out his wand and casts a spell. I watch with curiosity as he reopens the door to reveal nothing at all inside. 

"Where did it go?" 

"Somewhere outside the castle." His answers are vague and I know I won't like the truth just by that fact. 

"So you send things outside of the castle. What's the big secret?" I raise a brow and cross my arms over my chest. 

"Or I could bring things in." His steely gaze almost unnerves me as I realize exactly what he's implying. 

"Things as in—"

"People." He cuts me off and my chest tightens. 

"Draco I, I don't know what to say." Draco steps back and slumps down in an old wicker chair that looks like it's seen better days. 

"I just need to hear you say you're not going anywhere. Whatever happens."

"I've done everything I can to ensure that doesn't need to happen." I reassure him and he nods. "but you know that one day I will have to." His stare is unwavering for a moment and I feel it best to change the subject before either of us begin a spiral. "Snape got a letter from my parents today." I reach into my pocket and take out the envelope. It's the first I've heard from them since arriving at Hogwarts and a part of me dreads reading it. 

"Any idea what it's about?" My shoulders shrug involuntarily as I turn the letter over in my hands. 

"Guess I'll find out." I mumble as I tear it open. 

_My dearest Heidi,_

_Your father and I were worried when a month had passed by and we hadn't heard from you, then another came and went but still nothing. Are you alright? How is your Potions class going, I know you struggle with that one the most._

_We spent a week by the sea last month with your uncle, his wife, and their children. As I sat watching the stars one evening I couldn't help but wish you could have been there. I miss you terribly._

_In others news, which is the reason for this letter, a meeting has been requested. My darling girl, I know this will be tremendously trying on you, but you must be absolutely prepared. Your father and I can not withstand anymore disappointments. We are relying on you to represent the Scarlet name on our behalf. Our future lies in your hands._

_When we know more, I will send you the details through Severus, of course._

_With the most love,  
—mum_

My heart sinks into my chest as I reread the first line of the third paragraph. A meeting has been requested. I can feel my stomach turn and I suck in a deep breath. 

"What is it?" Draco stands from the chair and comes over. "You've gone white as a sheet." He plucks the parchment from my hand and scans it over. "A meeting, with who? Him?" 

All I can do is nod in response as I imagine what that will be like. What will it feel like to be face to face with the Dark Lord?

"Well, at least there's one good thing to come of this." The expression on his face is solemn and I can feel the sarcasm in those words. 

"What's that?" 

"You can almost be certain this meeting will be at Malfoy Manor." I take in the seriousness of that statement. 

"Lovely."


	14. Halloween

**HEIDI**

As days come and go, I try my hardest to focus on classes without thinking too hard on all of things I can't change. Before we know it the Halloween feast is upon us and the Slytherin dormitories are bursting with excitement. 

Dumbledore had made an announcement that it wouldn't just be a simple feast like usual, but that there was a surprise for us all. There's been nonstop gossip about what it could possibly be and some of the students have taken to placing bets. 

Zahara is in an almost manic state as she whirls around the room looking for shoes and different makeups to complete her look. She's clothed in a bathrobe and her hair is half finished but the smile on her face tells me even with the stress to look perfect, she's happy. I feel a slight hint of envy when I think about how she will be with Adrian all evening while I'll be with Blaise instead of who I wish I were spending the evening with. 

"I wanted to apologize for Pansy the other day." Andromeda speaks up as she turns from the mirror clad in the same maroon colored dress we had seen her in at the shop. "I didn't know you had picked out the one she was trying on." Zahara's face turns up into a smirk. 

"I've no hard feelings for Pansy. I found a better one thanks to her." Andromeda runs her hands through her curls and shrugs. 

"I'm glad." With a flick of her wand, Zahara's dress pops from the wardrobe wrapped in a garment bag. The zipper undoes itself to reveal a deep cobalt blue dress made of the finest velvet. The sleeves reach her wrists, the length hits her knees, and as she tries it on the soft material flows perfectly with her body. "Wow." Andromeda breathes out as she takes in the sight of the flaming red head. "It's beautiful." Zahara looks herself over in the mirror. 

"Isn't it?" The smugness in her voice is not lost on me and I giggle. 

"And what about you?" Andromeda turns to me. "What did you choose?" My own garment bag is draped over the bed and inside lies a floor length emerald green dress. The top is strapless with a V cut in the center while the bottom flows with lace flowers. I knew it was risky going with something that didn't cover the mark on the back of my neck, but with my hair down and curled, it's concealed. 

"She'll be the most beautiful girl in the entire castle in that." Zahara beams as I slip into the dress. 

"I'm sure Blaise will feel lucky." Zahara and I lock eyes as Andromeda says those words and she gives me a knowing look. 

Once the three of us are ready as we'll ever be, we head for the stairs and at the bottom waits Adrian, Blaise, and Draco. They're talking amongst themselves but turn in our direction as they hear the sound of heels on the stone staircase. 

Naturally, my gaze goes to the blonde first and I eye him up and down. The slightest smirk forms when he notices I'm looking at him and not my date, but that look changes to something else when he takes me in completely. His eyes widen slightly but he snaps his gaze to Andromeda. He's dressed in a well fitting suit that looks like it was made for him. It's all black from the dress shirt to the shoes on his feet and to me he's never looked better. 

Blaise also looks nice in mostly black like the other two, but his dress shirt is white, his shoes a combination of the two.

"Ladies." Adrian greets us with a low, rather dramatic bow which earns a few laughs from the three of us. I glance towards the seating area and see Pansy in the same champagne colored dress standing next to Theodore Knott next to the fireplace. As I reach the bottom of the staircase I slip my arm through Blaise's as he smiles down at me. 

"You clean up nice, Scarlet." The taller boy teases. 

"I could say the same thing." I reach up to straighten his tie. "Come on, or we'll be late." I tell the group but really I'd just like to get Zahara out of the confined space with Pansy as they are staring daggers at each other. 

"You're right." Andromeda speaks up and slips her hand through Draco's to drag him towards the exit. My heart sinks a bit in my chest watching her hold his hand but Blaise slings an arm around my shoulders and squeezes. 

"It's alright, love. We both know it's you he's interested in." Blaise takes my arm once more we follow the other two couples out the door and I'm thankful it's him I'm going with. He may be a bit of a prat when it comes to bloodlines and money, but deep down he's a kind soul to those he's loyal to. It seems he's chosen Draco as a worthy friend. 

The corridors are filled with couples coming and going and the sound of their laughter and choppy conversations fills me with a sense of normalcy thats rare for me. Tonight, I'm just another student in our friend group. There's no parents, no futures, no blood oaths to worry about. 

The six of us make our way to the Great Hall and my mouth falls open when I see the way it's been transformed. The long, rectangular tables that usually occupy the entire room are gone and in their place are oversized round ones. They are all around the outskirts of the room and in the center is a wooden stage that seems to be hovering in the air on its own atop a cloud of grey smoke. 

Hanging from the ceiling are different faced Jack-o-Lanterns that seem to be laughing up in the air as onyx colored bats swoop around them in the swirls of fog that's hovering above. All around us couples are dancing to the music played by a few goblin's dressed as vampires. 

"Wow." I breathe out as we head across the room to a free table. 

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Blaise whispers in my ear and I nod with a warm smile. He places his hand on my back to guide me across the room and I find myself wishing I had given the Slytherin students a chance at friendship before now. 

As we reach the table, Blaise pulls out a chair for me which I find sweet. I catch a glimpse from Draco as he does the same thing for Andromeda and all I can do is smile. There won't be any longing, jealous looks from me tonight. I want to have fun and if I have to do that with Blaise, that's what I will do. At least I can do it in the company of Draco, even if he is two seats down from me. 

The six of us sit at our table and chat amongst ourselves until the festivities officially begin. The table is beautifully decorated with a trio of floating pumpkins in the center and the rest is covered in sparkling, bewitched leaves with black candles. No detail has gone unplanned and I wonder who came up with all of this. 

"If I could have your attention, please." A voice breaks through the rest of the chatter and I see Professor McGonagall standing at the professors table with her wand held up as a microphone. "Welcome to this years Halloween feast. We thought it would be a nice change to bring a bit more world tradition to our celebrations, so we will be having a re-enactment of an old fable from across the ocean." 

As she speaks the main door opens and around thirty skeletons walk through in a single file line. They head up onto the stage and take their places. 

"This is the legend of Sleepy Hollow." With a flick of her wand the lights dim creating a sinister ambiance and my eyes stay glued on the stage as the skeletons begin acting out the show. 

The dark tale has been rewritten for the occasion with bits of comedy here and there that has its audience laughing and it's obvious everyone in the room is enjoying it. I glance over at Draco to see his eyes trained forward but there's joy on his face which is a rare sight. It fills my chest with warmth and when he chances a look over, we lock eyes. His expression doesn't falter and I'm happy as can be that he's having a good time. 

The show lasts an hour and as it draws to a close the skeletons bow to the students and make their way off the stage and out the door. The lights stay low as McGonagall claps her hands twice and the stage begins to spin. It gradually gains speed until its just a flurry of color before disappearing altogether in a burst of sparks.

"Now, let the feast begin. We will close the night with a bit of dancing." McGonagall speaks from her seat and the Great Hall bursts into noisy chatter as everyone discusses the show. Heaping platters of food appear on the table and I look it all over before making a decision. There's green candied apples, cotton candy spun into spider webs, not to mention the giant roast shaped into a skull. 

"I saw The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on broadway once with my aunt." Zahara speaks from across from me. "Muggles sure do know how to put on an interesting show. All without the help of magic." She shrugs as Adrian chuckles. 

"No magic, sounds a bit dull to me." Adrian teases. 

"Not dull, just different." 

"Seems to me you've got a soft spot for them, eh?" Draco speaks up as he raises a brow at my best friend. 

"I have an aunt who's a muggle. Not blood, but by marriage." The look on her face is almost taunting the boys at the table to lash out at that, but to my surprise they behave. 

"What's she like?" Andromeda asks with true curiosity on her face. 

"She's fascinating. She lives by the sea south of London. West Wittering, it's called. I use to spend my summers there as a kid." 

"You spent your summers with muggles?" Ah, there it is. That judging tone laces through Blaise's words. "Zahara Forrest, from one of the most well known pure blood lines?"

"What of it, Zabini?" Zahara snaps as Adrian rests his arm along the back of her chair. There's a smirk on his face as if he can't wait to see what his girlfriend will dish out to his friend. The rest of us sit back and watch it play out. 

"It's a disgrace to your heritage." Blaise sneers. 

"Not all the pure lines view the world through the tiny microscope like the Zabini's and Malfoy's." She throws Draco a look and he raises his hands in surrender with a chuckle.

"I said nothing." The blonde defends himself. 

"The muggles have come a long way without the use of magic. That alone deserves some respect." Zahara continues on. 

"They won't get it from me or anyone I know for that matter." Zabini sits back in his chair and rolls his eyes. Zahara's expression turns dark and sinister as she runs her tongue over her lips. 

"Oh, don't be such a twat." She twitches her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Our last names are not a shield from the world. They don't make us any less threatened." I don't miss the way Draco looks to me and his joking demeanor has slid to the side and in its place is understanding. "Malfoy, Scarlet, even Bellchant. We are all just pawns in the great game of wizard's chess." Zahara takes a bite from a candied apple.

"So, you think where we come from means nothing, then?" Blaise watches her with curiosity, his anger settled for now. "You think you'd have the same opportunities if you were non-magic or a half breed?"

"I think no matter our heritage, we are all given burdens to overcome. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who was given an easier obstacle along the way." Zahara shrugs as Adrian leans forward and changes the subject to something more lighthearted as I excuse myself and stand. 

By now the center of the room is filled with couples dancing. Zahara reaches for my hand as I pass by her side of the table and pulls me down to her ear. 

"Where are you off to?" She whispers against my skin. 

"Bathroom." I flash her a reassuring smile. "Nothing to worry about." I pull away and head towards the double doors, my long dress swishing around my legs as I go. The corridor is quiet compared to the festivities behind me as I make my way towards the girls lavatory. I almost make it to the entrance before I hear quick paced footsteps behind me. I turn to see Draco headed this way with his hands in his pockets. 

"Are you alright?" He takes my wrist and drags me into a shadowy corner. 

"Of course." I whisper out as I steal a quick kiss. Draco leans against the stone wall and holds me against his front. 

"How's Zabini treating you?" Draco mumbles against my lips. 

"I'd rather it were you treating me." I flash a wink and he chuckles. "Blaise has been a gentleman." 

"Good. I threatened to hex him if his hands wandered." His lighthearted tone makes me grin. 

"What about Miss Bellchant? Are her hands wandering?" I bat my lashes causing his hands tighten on my waist. 

"I've barely noticed her, to be honest." Draco's lips collide with mine and I sigh against his mouth. "I've got to head back." He mumbles when we hear footsteps headed this direction and he breaks away which pulls a pout from me. 

While still concealed in the shadows, he snatches my wrist and pulls me back into him with enough force to make me stumble. "Meet me on the seventh floor after." 

"I'll be there." Draco lets me go and he slips around the corner out of sight, taking the long way around so as not to be spotted, as I step the other way back towards the lavatories. 

"Heidi, hey." The footsteps we had heard belong to Hermione and her face is flushed from dancing. Ron and Harry trail along behind her in conversation. 

"Hey." I give her a shy wave. She's dressed in a beautiful yellow satin gown that's stylish but still conservative just like her. 

"Enjoying the feast?" Hermione asks and I don't miss the way I get a side eye from both of her male companions. 

"I am, the show was brilliant don't you think?" 

"Very. We were just going to get some air." She points towards the door behind me that leads to the open terrace. As they move past me, Harry stops while the other two carry on. 

"You know he's a Death Eater, right?" I freeze with my back to him as my blood runs cold. I plaster an oblivious look on my face as I look over my shoulder at the brunette. 

"Who?" Harry holds my gaze as I spin my entire body around to look at him. 

"You don't really think I'm as dim witted as the rest of the lot at the feast, do you?" 

"Harry, I don't know what you mean." 

"Malfoy." He spits out and takes a step closer. His two friends have stopped at the door and are looking back with concerned expressions. 

"You don't know him." My tone is just as icy. 

"I always thought you deserved better than Slytherin, but now I know you're just like the rest." Harry stalks off to catch up with his friends and I'm left standing there without a clue as to what just happened.


	15. Halloween II

**HEIDI**

As I arrive back in the a Great Hall, the music playing is upbeat as the couples on the dance floor continue to twirl about and it seems as if every student has left their seats. A thousand shades of fabric swirl all around as I weave through the crowd to our table. 

I'm met halfway by my own date and without a word he extends his hand and offers me a warm smile. I place mine in his and he pulls me into the center of the crowd where he takes my other hand and we move back and forth in a waltz. I'm taken by surprise as Blaise glides across the dance floor with ease. I had expected, with his tall frame, for him to be awkward and staccato, but that's not the case. 

"You dance well." I point out as he spins me around before bringing me back in as soft as a feather. 

"Don't all the great names teach dance at an early age?" He raises an eyebrow and I roll my eyes. 

"Is everything about blood lineage with you?" Theres amusement in my voice. We continue to move around the room as one, the conversation with the the three Gryffindors far from my mind. 

"It's the way I was raised." His words are firm but I don't miss the shadow that flashes through his coffee colored eyes. My heart softens as I think about that answer. We were all raised to be a certain way and it seems our parents have failed us along the line. It was more important to them to teach us tradition and family loyalty than kindness and honor, or compassion. 

"You don't have to be who your parents say you are." A lighthearted laugh leaves my lips. "I pray to Merlin I don't end up like mine." Blaise doesn't seem to find my comment as amusing. 

"Our parents were revolutionaries. They fought for the privileges we have now." Our dancing comes to a halt as we stand in the center of the room. 

Any true emotion I might have seen in him earlier is gone and the pure blood bravado is back like armor. The song comes to an end as a slower beat begins to play. 

"I thought a Malfoy could pick them better than this." Blaise motions towards me before turning his back and leaving the dance floor. 

I stand there for a moment, feeling rather silly as couples bump into me and I start to move out of the crowd. I'd been a fool to think I could let go for one evening and just be a normal teenager. That is, until a hand takes my wrist from behind. I turn to see Draco and my heart flutters. His touch sends a shiver up my arm and back down my spine as he drags me over and places one hand on my waist while the other drags my arm up onto his shoulder. 

"Everyone will see." I whisper against his ear as he flickers his gaze down to mine. I wind my other arm around his neck as we move back and forth to the lazy melody. 

"What will they see, two people sharing one dance? My date went to gossip with the girls in the lavatory and you were here alone. It's a dance purely out of convenience." He smirks. "It's hardly incriminating." I relax in his arms and let out a breath. It feels nice to be in his arms. "What were you and Zabini bickering about?" 

"He can't seem to have a conversation if it doesn't involve his prejudices. There's not enough space in this entire castle to fit all of them." I roll my eyes as I rest my head against Draco's chest. The smell of him is intoxicating. "They take up more room than Hagrid." That gets a laugh out of him. 

"You'll have to ignore Blaise. He was brought up much like me." Draco's thumb rubs circles against my ribcage. "Except, unlike our families, Blaise's managed to stay out of trouble." I raise my head to look up at him. "He has no idea what it's like to have no choice." Draco reaches up to brush the hair out of my face 

"You know," I slide my hands down his chest. "The seventh floor is sounding better by the second." I bite my bottom lip and he grins. 

"You're right, this is terrible." His voice is laced with mirth as he squeezes me tight. "What did you have in mind?" My fingertips dance along his torso as I wind my arms around his waist. 

"I'd rather be alone where I can kiss you if I feel like it." Draco's lips twitch. 

"Oh, so you feel like kissing me now, yeah?" I say nothing in return and my silence is his answer. "So go, then." He looks towards the exit as his grip slowly loosens as the goblin orchestra ends the song. I untangle myself from his waist and step back as the couples bow to their partners. I do the same before turning on my heel and heading for the door. 

The corridors are still quiet as there's still a few musical numbers left before the feast is brought to a close. The only sound comes from my heels on the stone as I climb staircase after staircase until I reach the seventh floor. I take the spot next to the suit of armor and wait for Draco to make his way up. Moments later, his pale silhouette emerges around the corner at the opposite end of the hall I had come down. 

"Had to take the long way 'round." He begins the three trips back and forth in front of the blank wall. "Pucey snagged me before I could make it out. He wanted to sneak down to the lake with some Euphor drops they got from the Weasley's." 

"Not those again." I laugh as I recall the last time I had witnessed someone ingest the outlawed substance. They are little cylinder shaped candies that when eaten, induce almost hallucinogenic effects. 

Zahara had gotten ahold of one at her sixteenth birthday party and after the rest of the guests had left, the two of us had laid out under the stars as she rambled on and on about the meaning of life. She swore in that moment the stars left their spots in the sky and re-enacted the beginning of our magical world for her, and only her to see. It was all quite convincing. 

"You didn't want to join them?" I ask Draco as the door begins to form in front of my eyes and he shakes his head, almost appearing bashful. 

"Not a chance." He opens the door for me and places his hand on my waist as he guides me through. The Room of Requirement looks just as we had left it the last time I was here, but as Draco leads me through the rows of clutter, I'm surprised by what's on the other side. 

There's a fireplace lit with amber flames roaring. In front of it is a comfortable looking sofa and between the two is an ornate little table dressed with candles and a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. Next to the sofa is a massive window that scales the room floor to ceiling. It's started to rain and the drizzle coated glass envelopes me in a cozy bubble as I breathe in the scent of firewood. 

In this moment I realize how utterly wrong I had been about Draco Malfoy in the beginning . I'm reminded of the first day out on the castle grounds when we had done nothing but read together. I remember the first time we kissed in the Shrieking Shack. I thought he was cruel and hateful, when really that was only his mask to hide his deeper secrets much like my silence and introvert personality is mine. 

I'm pulled from the wandering thoughts by his hand slipping around my waist from behind to rest on my abdomen while the other brushes the curls from my neck where he presses his lips to the ink. 

"Why do you like kissing me there?" I breathe out, my voice soft as I lean into his chest. I feel his mouth turn up into a smile as his lips move across my naked shoulder. 

"Because he's claimed you, but truly you're mine." Goosebumps rise on my skin as he runs his fingertips down my arm and back up again where he takes my chin and covers my mouth with his. 

The danger makes it all that much more tempting and I spin in his arms and wrap my arms around his neck. My fingers lace through his hair as he pushes me backwards towards the couch, our lips locking together in a fervent kiss. When we reach the couch Draco pulls back with hooded eyes. 

"Would you like a drink?" Draco steps over and picks up the bottle of firewhiskey before uncorking and holding it out at me. While Zahara spent as much time as she could over the summer inebriated with the substance, I had never been much of a fan of the way it made me feel the next day, but tonight the sweet escape sounds like bliss. I take the bottle from him and press it to my lips before tipping it back for a long sip. 

"Just as vile as I remember." I tease as I pass it back. Draco chuckles while taking a drink of his own. 

The effects are almost instantaneous as my body warms and tingles. I turn to take a seat but Draco lets out a click of his tongue against the roof of his mouth to stop me. There's a dark look in his eyes as he slips his arms out of the jet black suit jacket. As he comes back over to me, without looking away, he unfastens the cuff links and tosses them down onto the table. 

“Turn around.” His tone is firm and I do as he’d said, my back to him once more. Draco’s footsteps are slow, almost calculating as he comes over and runs a flat palms up the center of my back to the top of the dress. A shiver ripples through me as his fingers snatch the zipper and tug it down almost painfully slow. 

Once the dress is undone it slips down and puddles at my feet leaving me as close to nude as possible. I’d forgone a bra because of the strapless bust and my bottom half is covered by a thin layer of lace material that leaves nothing to the imagination. 

I hear a rumble of approval leave Draco’s chest as his hands find the naked flesh of my stomach. His lips find my neck once more as he pulls me flush against his front and his hands move lower to the dip between my thighs. My head lulls back on his shoulder as his fingers run along my folds and his mouth moves to my ear where he nips at the sensitive skin. 

“Was this your plan all evening?” I breathe out while pulling myself from his grasp to face him. His eyes roam my body as my hands reach for the bottom of his shirt where I tug it out of his dress trousers. A smirk forms on his lips and the flames cast shadows along his face making his expression look almost sinister. 

“Did I hope you’d want me as much as I wanted you, yes. But did I expect,” his fingertips slip into the edge of the last bit of fabric covering my body before sliding them down my legs. “anything at all, no.” My fingers find the buttons of his shirt and I start to undo them while he watches my every move. 

Before I can get his shirt off he’s holding my face in his hands and kissing me hard all while pushing me backwards. My legs collide with the couch and I fall back while he comes with me. 

Draco’s knee pushes my legs apart so he can kneel between them and my heart is racing out of my chest. I scramble to get the remaining buttons off and feel sweet relief when I can push it off his shoulders. His mouth vibrates in a chuckle against mine as he laces his fingers through my hair and tugs at the base of my neck. My body is on fire, only worsened by the feel of his hand running down my body between my legs. 

A gasp leaves my lips as he slips one finger inside me without warning and my eyes snap closed as my body arched against his. The movements are slow and it doesn’t take long before my lower body is moving against his hand, wanting more. 

**DRACO**

Heidi lays sprawled out on the couch behind me as I lean against the front of it, my legs stretched out in front of me on the ground. The crackling of the dying fire is the only sound aside from her soft breaths. Her fingers tangle in my hair and I lean back to look at her smiling down at me. 

“Are you tired?” I ask while sitting up on my knees and leaning over her. I press a kiss to her collarbone while she rests her hand on the back of my neck. 

“Mmm.” She mumbles, her eyes fluttering closed in the process. “How is the Vanishing Cabinet coming along?” I pull back and there’s concern written all over her face. 

“It’s not.” Heidi’s eyes widen and the concern is replaced by fear. 

“What do you mean?” 

“It means, I’ve tried every spell I can think of and nothing’s working.” I try to keep my voice low and even so as not to worry her further. “I can’t even get a damn bird to transport back alive.” She furrows her brows and is silent for a moment. 

“Maybe, I could help you.” It’s almost as if she’s asking me for permission. 

“No, you have enough to worry about already.” My fingers brush along her cheek but she reaches up and snatches my hand into hers. 

“There might be something you’re missing. You need fresh eyes to take a look.” 

“I can’t let you involve yourself in this. It’s bad enough that I’m a part of it.” Heidi thinks hard on it. 

“If you don’t fix it, what then?”

“Then it’s over for me and my family. There’s no room for failure, here.” The seriousness of my situation comes crashing down on my shoulders. I’m going to die if I don’t make it happen and I start to get angry that all of this is clouding the perfect evening I’ve had with her. 

“Tomorrow we work on it together.” Heidi snaps. “Now that Occlumency is under my belt, no one will ever know.” Her lips are still flushed from what we had been up to earlier, making her look that much more irresistible especially after what she’s just offered to do. “I need you around.” She breathes against my mouth as I lean in to steal a kiss. “Even if it can’t be forever.” 

“We should head back to the dorms.” I block out the words she had just said, instead I occupy myself with the perfect skin of her neck as I refuse to acknowledge that there’s an expiration date on our relationship. She’s still naked with just my jacket draped over her as a makeshift blanket and if it weren’t for the clock ticking way past midnight, I’d have her again right now. 

“Can’t we stay here?” Her fingertips send a ripple of goosebumps down my back. She sits up, accepting that its not possible without so much as a word from me, and stretches her arms out before reaching for the dress that had been discarded an hour before. 

“If both of us are missing from our beds tonight, it will be the talk of the castle come morning.” I eye her with a smirk as she stands and slips her legs into the dress before pulling it up, concealing her perfect body once more. 

“I know. Zip me up?” She stands with her back to me and I stand to give her some help. Once we’ve both situated our attire, I take her hand and we leave the Room of Requirement to find the corridors empty. 

“Everyone must already be back in their houses.” I point out as we walk hand in hand. I listen carefully for any sound, hoping we can make it back without being spotted together.


	16. Over

**HEIDI**

Days pass by in a blur of school assignments and secret moments shared with Draco in the Room of Requirement. Days turn in to weeks and the autumn rains turn into crisp white snow that blankets the grounds. 

After Katie Bell, a Gryffindor, fell to a cursed necklace at Hogsmeade, Draco's situation had become that much more real to me. The threat to him fills me with rage that I can't act on because no one can know I'm helping him. No one can ever know what he's up to when he disappears for hours on the seventh floor.

It was on a quiet night not long after Katie wound up in the hospital wing when I had been studying on the couch by the fireplace alone. It was late, almost curfew when the entrance swung open to reveal a very disheveled Draco. His hair was wild, his shirt dripping wet and his face was flushed like he had been crying. We had been keeping our relationship a secret for weeks now, but it was obvious to me in that moment he couldn't be ignored. 

Draco had stopped in his tracks when he saw me sitting there alone and we stared at each other for a long moment before he realized there were no prying eyes. He didn't say a word, didn't explain why he looked like he had just been through a tropical storm of great magnitude. Instead, he'd come over and pulled me in to the tightest embrace I've ever experienced. 

What terrified me to the bone was the way his body shook and shivered against me and it was only after I had taken his face in my hands and pulled him back that I realized he was crying. 

Draco was crying because he was afraid and that fact alone made me sick. It was so unlike him to be so vulnerable in that way, and so late that evening when Andromeda and Zahara were sound asleep, I'd snuck into his room and let him lay on my chest as I ran my fingers up and down his back until his racing heart slowed and his breaths evened. If anyone knows how terrible a panic attack can be, it's me. 

We hadn't spoken of that night since, but something about him allowing himself to be comforted by me brought us closer together. It's made the secrecy that much harder to live with and it's made us both realize how much we rely on the other to make it through this. 

Everyone seems to be on edge and the castle is filled with suspense more so than excitement for the winter holidays. Each day I wake up thinking I will hear from my parents about the 'meeting' my mother spoke of in her later, but every day I'm disappointed. Today though, is not like all the others. 

"I need to speak with you." Snape tells me as I pack up my things to head back to the Slytherin quarters after Potions class. 

"Is it my parents?" I whip around to face him as the last student exits the room. He says nothing, just turns and heads to his desk where he plucks an envelope from the top drawer. I stare at the piece of parchment as Snape makes his way back over and I start to feel sick. My stomach turns when he extends his hand with the letter for me to take. "I can't." I whisper out, my stare unwavering. Inside that wax seal holds a date worse than death, I know that for certain. 

"You must." His hands doesn't waver. I look up into at his face and I see regret and guilt drifting through his black-as-night eyes. 

"Could you read it to me?" My voice is weak, but he gives me a curt nod before gliding over to bar the door. I hear the sound of the parchment being unfolded and I do my best to get my heart rate under control before the raven haired professor takes out his wand. 

_"Muffliato!"_ Snape casts the charm to keep any prying ears in the corridor from hearing our conversation before laying his eyes on my mothers neat handwriting. " _My dearest daughter,_ " Snape begins but instead of his voice, I hear the words spoken in my mother's. _"I am writing this letter with regret in my heart because I know, now, that I won't be seeing you over the Christmas holiday. As much as I miss you so, there are others who wish for your presence so I'm afraid I must be selfless. You will accompany Draco Malfoy when he leaves the castle to attend a week long stay at the Malfoy Manor."_

Professor Snape pauses as he looks at me and I know exactly what he's thinking. How can I possibly attend a meeting with Draco after all we've shared? Maybe this is my punishment for getting involved with the blonde in the first place. Maybe Voldemort knows this will break me. Draco had warned me that any meeting with the Dark Lord would take place at his home, but a part of me held out hope that he was mistaken. He was not. 

_"I am assured your accommodations will be more than fit to your liking, and I pray I hear from you the moment you arrive. My darling, please don't let your father and I waste away with worry. We must know right away that you are safe. With the most love, your mum."_ Snape slaps the piece of parchment down on the closest table and I'm startled by his anger. 

"Do you see what you've done?" He snaps and I take a step backwards. "Do you see the position you've put yourself in, the _danger,_ if you are to slip up one time? All of this for what, the Malfoy boy?"

"You've taught me Occlumency, everything will be okay." I try to reassure myself just as much as him. 

"We haven't even discussed the kind of interrogation you will receive for my teaching you that subject." I hadn't thought that Snape protecting me could cause repercussions for himself. 

"I, I didn't think—" 

"You're _exactly_ right, Heidi. You didn't _think._ " I can feel the tears welling in the backs of my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. I bite my lip and take the scolding because I deserve it. "You wanted to be normal, you wanted to have friends, and everything that goes with being your age but you're _not like_ everyone else!" 

"I know that!" I cry out as I take a step towards him. The heat in my chest blooms up my neck and I know my cheeks must be flushed, now. "I'm different, I'm _special_ , I'm going to save my family." I repeat the words I've been told all of my life. "But at what cost to me?" Snape pauses as he stares at me. 

"I should've kept a closer eye on you." He looks down at the parchment and runs his finger over the words. "I should've threatened the boy and you could've gone about your schooling the way you always have." He picks up the letter up and drops it into an empty cauldron on the table. " _“Incendio!_ Sparks shoot from the end of his wand and the evidence is gone forever. 

"This isn't your fault." A single tear slips down my cheek. There's a long pause between us as Snape sticks his wand back in his robe and laces his fingers together in front of him. 

"Do you have such little faith in me, that you think I wouldn't exhaust all possibilities to undo the mess your parents have created?" My head tilts to the side in confusion. "Do you think after all of this time I haven't been searching for a solution, risking my own skin to save yours?" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Do you think I would've watched over you all of these years, treated you like my own child, just to have you sent off like a cow for slaughter?" His words come quicker with each missile of information he fires at me and my head is spinning. 

"I don't understand." My head shakes back and forth. 

"You've mastered Occlumency, Heidi, so you can discover things you never saw happening around you." Snape takes a step forward and rests a hand on my shoulder before giving it a squeeze. "Your parents may have accepted this fate for you, but I have not. Now," he steps over to his desk. "I've got third years coming in soon, and you need to go make it _very_ clear to the Malfoy boy what kind of situation you are in."

"I don't know what to do." My voice is weak as my eyes burn with unshed tears. 

"You know exactly what you have to do." I look up and lock eyes with him. Draco and I always knew there was a shelf life to what we are, but I never thought I'd have to prepare for the end so quickly. "There can be no doubt in the Dark Lord's mind that's you are his, that you are willingly and fully committing to the promises your parents have made." 

"I have to give up the one person who's given me happiness." Snape says nothing, his silence is my answer. 

"The sneaking around, the secrets, all of it must come to an end so you can get your mind where it needs to be." My hands clasp together at my waist and I wring my fingers hard enough to turn them white. "It's time for you to get going. I will speak to the Malfoy boy." My heart sinks into my stomach and I've never felt so defeated. "Go." Snape steps aside and motions towards the door. I leave without hesitation and hurry so quickly to the Slytherin common room I don't even remember the trip. 

When I arrive back, the tears are screaming to be released, causing my vision to go blurry as I step through the entrance. There's quite a few people loitering about and of course, my vision instantly locks on Draco. He's standing at the fireplace watching a second year brandish his wand like a sword at a candlestick. There's amusement written all over his face until he sees me. 

I try not to draw attention as I make my way across the room, but Draco moves as if to take a step towards me so I shake my head in a curt 'no' and continue to the stairs. By the time I make it into the dormitory, the tears are flowing freely and my chest aches. I collapse on the four poster and let the emotions overcome me. Moments later the door swings open and Zahara rushes in, a whirlwind of robes and red hair. 

"Heidi, what is it?" She comes over and kneels beside the bed and moves the messy locks of hair from my tear stained face. There's worry written all over her. 

"It's all over." I breathe out, my voice cracking. 

"What, what is?" 

"Everything." Zahara's eyebrows furrow as she runs a soft hand over my cheek to wipe away some of the moisture. 

**DRACO**

With no explanation from Heidi about her behavior earlier in the afternoon, I've no idea what to think. No one else seemed to pay her any mind after she was late getting back from Potions class, but I had assumed she'd been caught up with Snape. 

Clearly, whatever they spoke of had hurt her as she had barely been able to get across the common room without crying. I wanted to go to her, but she had stopped me in my tracks. Instead, Zahara had jumped up from the couch and headed upstairs to follow with only a quick glance in my direction.

"Did you get invited to Slughorn's Christmas party?" Blaise asks as he comes over to stand beside me at the fireplace. A sarcastic laugh leaves my throat. 

"Slughorn only invites his pets to that each year. He's never been fond of me or my father." 

"Are you saying I'm one of his 'pets'?" I can't be bothered with this conversation and I brush him off with a shrug. 

"You tell me." I step away from the fireplace and head for the door, my nerves on edge. Once I'm outside I head for the seventh floor. 

The corridors are quiet and I only pass a few wandering students as I make my way up the many staircases. I'm almost to my destination when a tall, dark figure storms towards me. 

"We need to speak." Snape snaps out as he grabs me by the arm and yanks me into the nearest classroom. "This thing between you and the Scarlet girl is over." 

"What?" 

"Oh, don't play daft with me, Malfoy. There are no secrets between her and myself." I can't wrap my head around the forwardness of his demand. 

"You can't do that." My eyebrows furrow as I take a step towards him. 

"I can, and I am. I've let this go on long enough, much longer than I should have because I saw that you made her life a little less miserable, but now," he pauses as he turns his back to me and takes a deep inhale. "it's time for it to come to an end." 

"You're the reason she was crying. You upset her, what did you do?" 

"She's in danger you ignorant fool!" He sweeps back around to face me, his robes twirling around his feet like an ominous cloud. 

"You think I don't know that?"

"I think you are blind to your own feelings and you need to wake up and see the damage you're causing." He takes a few steps closer to me, his eyes narrowing and the expression on his face is chilling. "We will not be having this conversation again. Miss Scarlet will accompany you home for the holiday but you will merely be two students who attend the same school. Am I clear?" 

I see there's no room for argument and I can feel my soul deflate inside my body, what is left of it anyway. I say nothing else, my jaw clenched tight to suppress the anger I'm feeling. 

Snape pushes past me and exits the classroom and I'm left standing in a haunting kind of silence. I know now, that my only lifeline to something other than misery has been ripped away, leaving me feeling empty.


	17. Malfoy Manor

**HEIDI**

My hands shake as I finish packing the last of my clothes in my trunk. I had been studying all evening but my restless mind couldn't focus on Charms anymore, so I'd decided to busy myself with packing instead. 

"My parents are sending me off to my aunt's for the holiday." Zahara mumbles out as she digs through her wardrobe looking for only Merlin knows what. Her trunk is so full sitting on her bed I've no idea how she plans to latch it. "They've decided to take a trip to the mountains. Funny, they always choose to take the fun vacations when I'm not around." I've yet to tell her about my stay at the Malfoy Manor. 

"I'm sure you'll have fun either way. You love your aunt." 

"She sent me a letter yesterday. She wants to take me to Paris for Christmas Day." She pauses her movements, her face scrunched in thought. "You know, I do find it odd that Adrian's parents are also shipping him off with Zabini." My gaze snaps up to her and it's only then I realize I won't be the only guest at the Malfoy Manor. Of course, most of the Sacred Thirty heads of house will be there. 

"Seems most of us aren't ending up where we should be for the holiday." Zahara looks at me with concern. "I'll be at the Malfoy Manor, as I assume your boyfriend's parents will be as well." Zahara storms across the room and takes my hands in hers. 

"What on earth for?" The look of fear on my face is enough for her to understand. "It's the Dark Lord, isn't it?" She whispers and I once again, say nothing. She doesn't need to hear me speak the words to know it's true. 

"I'm glad you'll be in Paris." I squeeze her hands in mine. "At least I know you'll be safe there." 

"But I'll be a worried mess about you." I take a deep breath and shrug my shoulders as I exhale. 

"I'll be just fine." There's not much conviction in my voice and she drags me into a hug where she almost takes my breath away. 

"You'll have Draco, at least. I know things haven't been business as usual for the two of you, but I know he still cares a great deal for you." Zahara releases me and I turn back to my trunk, not wanting to think at all about the boy across the Slytherin house, most likely packing himself. 

"I'll just be counting down the days until we're all back here." 

Later that afternoon, the Great Hall is full of talk of the week to come. Everyone seems to have forgotten about Katie Bell being hexed and most of the faces in the room are covered in excited smiles as they tell their friends all about their plans for Christmas. 

When I sneak a look down the table at Draco, he couldn't look more out of sorts. As Adrian and Blaise chat beside him he does nothing but stare at his untouched plate in thought. I try to focus on the conversation Andromeda and Zahara are having about which types of present bows are best, when I see him stand from the chair suddenly enough to cause a few Slytherins to eye him. 

Without a word of explanation he slips from the Great Hall. We haven't spoken since I received the letter from my parents and I had been informed by Snape that I mustn't, under any circumstance, have another conversation with him. To hell with that. 

"I'll see you back in the dorms." I tell Zahara as I pack up my things and toss my bag over my shoulder before hurrying out of the Great Hall myself. As I reach the corridor I just barely catch a glimpse of Draco heading around the corner ahead and I pick up my pace to catch up. 

"Draco, wait." I call out in a whisper after looking around to make sure there are no prying eyes as I round the corner myself. Draco freezes, but doesn't turn around. Once I catch up to him, slightly out of breath, I see his face is made of stone. 

"What are you doing?" He seethes out, his tone filled with ice. 

"I thought we should talk." I look down at my feet as a wave of stupidity washes over me. 

"Have you lost your mind? If Snape sees us—"

"Snape is still eating dinner. He won't see." I can see the tumultuous choices spinning like a wheel inside his head. 

"We were fools to think this could ever work." Draco refuses to look at me as he stands still as a statue. I can't deny the pang that drives through the left side of my chest. 

"You don't mean that." He looks down at me for the first time and his eyes are hard, cold. 

"We're both going to wind up dead, already." A sarcastic laugh leaves his chest and the sound of it in our current situation is foreign and confusing. "We should've never done the things we did." Another stab to my chest. "I would've been better off drowning my sorrows in Pansy Parkinson's cunt than spilling my secrets to you." I can feel the hot tears burning at the backs of my eyes. 

Some part of me held out hope that after this was all over, we would find our way back to each other. I can see that's not the case, now. Draco has turned back into the person he was before we met and the Draco I came to care for is gone. 

"Maybe then I wouldn't have been even more distracted by all of the baggage that comes along with you and I could've figured my own shit out." His steely gaze bores down in to mine and I take a step backwards. 

"You're a bloody asshole, Draco Malfoy."

"I always have been." He raises his hands and shrugs. "You were all too trusting of the Prince Charming facade." A tear sneaks out and slips down my cheek but I brush it away, my insides turning hot at the thought of showing him weakness. "Are we done?" He motions towards the direction he had been headed. "I've got packing to do." I say nothing, instead I turn on my heel and storm off in the opposite direction, fully prepared to storm down to the Black Lake and scream until my lungs give out. 

**DRACO**

I feel sick. The kind of sick where your insides feel like they've twisted up in knots and your skin turns sweaty and clammy. Her face. Her perfect face scrunched in pain will haunt my dreams. My feet move on autopilot as my hands reach up to rip the tie from my neck. It feels like an inferno in here and I want nothing more than to dive into the snow outside just to cool down and get a grip on reality. 

As I turn the corner and come to the staircase leading down to the dungeons, I see Snape standing just near the top step. 

"Is it done?" His voice is low so as to not attract attention. "I saw her follow you out. I assume she wanted to speak with you." I pull myself together enough to speak and nod. 

"I did what you said." Snape nods his head up and down, but his face holds no satisfaction. I've come to realize how much he cares about Heidi, and I'm sure it hurt even his black heart to know he'd had hers broken on his own word. 

"It doesn't please me to hear that it's done, quite the opposite actually, but I'm glad to know she won't be seeking out your companionship while staying at your home." Snape goes to walk past, but I turn to stop him. 

"You know her better than anyone." I tug at the tie I had ripped off moments before. "I mean, you even knew she would come find me at some point after you told her it had to end." I take a step towards him. "Will she forgive me, for the things I said?" My words surprise him. I can tell by the way he examines my face with a dark kind of intrigue. 

"You really care for her." I nod. "Draco, if we survive this nightmare I will tell her myself that it was me who ordered you to break her heart." Relief washes over me now that I know I have his support, at least. "Go get your things packed and get to bed. You've got an early morning and a very long week ahead of you." And with that, Snape disappears down the dark corridor in a flurry of onyx robes. 

**HEIDI**

My nerves are a wreck as I sit in Zahara and my usual train car on our way back to London. I'd barely slept the night before, instead I had laid awake and replayed the conversation with Draco inside my head and over and over until I felt like my heart was fragmented into a thousand pieces. 

"Everything is going to be okay." Zahara reaches across the compartment and squeezes my hand. 

"I know." I whisper out and she stays quiet for the rest of the trip. She had brought one of the books I had gifted her one year for her birthday and she sits with her knees pulled to her chest in since as her eyes scan the pages. 

I wish the train ride could last even longer, but before I know it we are pulling in to Kings Cross station and students start filing past as they exit the train. I make sure to give Zahara a long hug before she heads off to find her aunt while I wait behind for the blonde haired boy I'm dreading to see. 

As he comes down the aisle, he refuses to look in my direction. He slows his pace as I step in line beside him and together we step off the train into the station. We say nothing to each other and the tension between us is thick enough to suffocate me as he scans the crowd of people. 

"Mr. Malfoy!" I hear someone call and I look to my right to see a tall, thin man wearing a black suit with a beret on his head. 

"Our driver." Draco mumbles as he begins to head in that direction. 

"Why are we driving?" My eyebrows scrunch in confusion. 

"We're not." Draco takes me by the elbow and drags me through the crowd over to the man. 

"Hello, Felix." Draco greets the tall man. 

"Good to see you, sir. Miss Scarlet." He greets me with a bow of his head. "Lets get to the car, your parents await your arrival at the manor." A second man comes up behind us with a trolley and both of our trunks on top. We make our way out to the parking lot to find a sleek, black town car. 

The driver opens the back and I slip inside where I'm greeted by leather interior and the warm smell of pine. Draco slips in the other side of the car and takes my hand in his. My eyes snap up with shock but his eyes roll. 

"We're going to apparate." So the car is not his choice of transportation from his home to the station. "The car will take our trunks." Draco doesn't wait for me to say anything and before I know it we are spinning through a whirlpool of landscapes before my feet touch ground. 

When I pry my eyes open I'm standing in an ornately decorated foyer with a hundred candles flickering above my head in the grandiose chandelier. 

"Welcome to Malfoy Manor." Draco sneers while ripping his hand from mine and stepping deeper into the house. My eyes flicker in a thousand different directions as I take in every inch of the place. 

"Oh, good! I thought I heard you two arrive." A beautiful woman with two toned hair clothed in a deep maroon colored dress steps into the room and holds her arms out. Draco steps into the woman's arms and gives her a squeeze before pulling back and motioning towards me. 

"Mother, this is Heidi Scarlet. Heidi, this is my mother Narcissa." Narcissa's eyes lock on me and for a moment I'm afraid she's going to be as cold as I've heard through rumors, but instead her face turns up into an almost melancholy smile. It doesn't quite meet her eyes. She comes across the room and takes my hands while eyeing me from head to toe. 

"Just as beautiful as your mother was at your age." Her tone is warm as she wraps me in a hug of my own. 

"You knew my mother back then?" I question. 

"Well, of course dear." She seems confused as to how I couldn't possibly know that. "Your mother and I were great friends when we both attended Hogwarts." Her hand reaches up to brush over my cheek. "Then, she got pregnant with you and well," the smile on her face fades. "we lost touch." Narcissa takes my hand and pulls me in the direction she had just come from. 

"Draco, darling, please escort Miss Scarlet upstairs to her room." Narcissa leans up and presses a kiss to her son's cheek. "I've had it redecorated for the occasion and you should find everything you need there. I've had some dresses imported for you. I assumed you didn't take your gowns to Hogwarts with you, no that would be silly. They're hanging in the wardrobe. Please, have a look and let me know if they're to your liking." My head is spinning with all of the new information, but then I realize she must know of my secrets. She's a Death Eater after all. She knows exactly who I am. 

"I'm sure they're perfect, Mrs. Malfoy." She continues to stare at me and I feel awkward until Narcissa snaps out of it. 

"She's not royalty, mother. You don't need to treat her like a princess." Narcissa's gaze snaps to her son and the warmth is gone. In its place is a steel-like gaze that has Draco snapping his mouth shut. I can see where he gets his severity from. 

"That's exactly what she is." Narcissa shakes her head before getting herself under control and turning back to me. "You should change first thing, dear. Trousers and a sweater won't do, I'm afraid." That same sinking feeling I've been feeling forces it's way up as I remember that somewhere in this sinister mansion is the man I'm promised to. I'll be meeting him for the first time face to face anytime now. "Draco, take her now, please." I can tell her patience is wearing thin with her son. 

"Come on." Draco steps to the stairs and waits for me to follow. 

"Heidi." Narcissa calls out when we are halfway up. "It's be best if you wore your hair up for the remainder of your stay." She motions towards the back of her head and I can tell the demand is uncomfortable for her by the way she tries to smile. "He'll want to see it. He'll want them all to see it." I give her a curt nod of the head before heading the rest of the way up where Draco is waiting impatiently. 

"It's just here." He motions towards the third door on the left. Draco's hand reaches out to turn the knob and when it opens I'm awestruck. 

The walls are covered in a cream wallpaper with ornate, gold leaf detail. The bedding looks like it's made from the finest threads of silk and velvet, champagne in color. The canopy above matches the linens and on the floor is a beautiful, well preserved Victorian style rug. The room seems like a bright, sparkling ray of light in the otherwise gothic style house. 

"Mine is just down to the right." Draco pulls me out of the daze. "You should get settled and changed like my mother said." He steps out of the room and shuts the door without another word. I take a moment to step over to the bed and I take a seat on the edge. 

Outside the window the air is full of grey fog and it doesn't seem like there's a bit of sunlight. Aside from the room, the rest of the house holds an ominous aura and in this moment I feel sorry for Draco. He grew up in the darkest, coldest place in the world. 

Deep breathes calm my shaky nerves as I do my best to get myself under control. It's only a week. One week and I'll be safely back at Hogwarts in my bed across from Zahara's. I'll be falling asleep to the sound of her breaths with my familiar emerald green silk sheets and Draco just across the way. 

He'll be safe. We'll both be safe.


	18. The Dark Lord

**HEIDI**

The wardrobe is stocked full of different colored fabrics, all darker shades of course, but each piece is more beautiful than the one before it. I wasn't quite sure what Narcissa meant when she had told Draco royalty was exactly what I was, but I'm starting to see now, who she thinks I am. 

At home, the fanciest we dressed was a nice sundress for special occasions or a designer piece if we were going to a party at a friend of the family's home. 

My family may not have been concerned with expensive garments behind the walls of our own manor, but what they did think was worth concerning over was my manners. From the age of five until I began at Hogwarts, I spent my summers with a tutor who taught me all things of being a lady. I remember thinking the lessons were silly, when would I ever need to know proper etiquette for social gatherings at age five? Now, I'm thankful for all I was taught. 

The ensembles Narcissa Malfoy had found for me are so much more than I've ever worn. Some have intricate beadwork, some are encrusted with jewels, others are covered in soft lace that looks like it was created by hand instead of magic. I know I was taught how to be this person, but it's all so real now and I start to feel like I'm going to be sick. 

_You can do this, Heidi_. I think to myself as I step over to the antique vanity which houses all of the necessary items I could ever need to make myself presentable. _Start small. Do your hair and makeup. You can do that, it's easy._ I take a few shallow breaths and sit down in the chair. 

I stare at myself in the mirror, the glass a bit distorted from age. My reflection stares back at me and the girl I'm face to face with doesn't look like me. This girl is calm, almost serene. She is a stranger, a product of years of etiquette lessons, but I'm thankful for her. Inside I'm quaking with fear. On the outside I'm as calm as a forest just before a storm. 

My hands move on autopilot as I brush out my long locks before taking out my wand to save time. I cast a charm with ease and my hair drops to my waist in perfect ringlet curls. I use my fingers to shake them out before searching through the drawers of the vanity for pins. I do as Narcissa said, and pin my hair in a loose bun at the back of my head. I leave a few wisps hanging in my face before digging in to the makeup. 

An hour later I'm as put together as I will ever be and I turn back to the wardrobe. With a heavy sigh I pull out the first one that caught my eye when I had first taken a look. It's emerald green and beaded from the bust to the bottom hem. It's extraordinarily beautiful. The back dips low, to the small of my back, and I check in the mirror to make sure the mark I've hidden most of my entire life is on display. Just as I've finished zipping myself up, there's a knock on the door. I slip quickly into a pair of black high heels that fasten around the ankle before turning to the door. 

"Come in." The door swings open to reveal none other than Lucius Malfoy. The head of house walks in the room with a haughty air about him and I can feel my insides turning once more. "Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." I make sure my voice is even and smooth. The much taller man rests his wooden walking stick on the floor in front of him and places both hands on the head. He looks me over from head to toe. 

"I see you navigated the wardrobe just fine on your own." He motions towards the dress. 

"I did. Your wife picked such beautiful pieces it was hard to choose." Lucius eyes me for a long moment and I can't help but fidget under his stare. 

"You're just a girl." I hear him mumble before he turns and walks to the window that overlooks the garden. "I had expected you to be," he pauses. "older, I suppose, even though I was well aware you were my sons age." 

"I'm seventeen, sir. I'm a bit older than others in my year. I was a summer baby." Lucius looks out the window for a moment before turning back to me. 

"The Dark Lord requests a private audience with you before dinner." I lock my knees to keep my shaky nerves from bringing me to the ground. I hadn't expected this to happen the very night I arrived, but I should have known. Stupid, stupid girl. "My son will collect you in a few moments time and he will escort you, at the Dark Lord's request." My heart drops into my stomach as Lucius locks eyes with me. 

"Thank you for coming to tell me." I breathe out as I look down at the floor. It's as if Lucius has snapped back to attention because he stalks across the room like he hadn't just been gazing out at the foggy landscape like he had all the time in the world. 

"I'll see you at dinner." And with that I am left alone in my room in silence. The Malfoy's sure do seem to be peculiar at best. The staring, the comments, all of it seems odd to me. 

I have no idea how much time passes by because I spend all of it sitting on the edge of the bed focusing on not spiraling into a panic attack. The second time there's a knock on the door I swallow all of the emotion and plaster the same at ease expression on my face I had seen in the mirror. 

When I open the door this time I see Draco on the other side dressed head to toe in black. His face is blank of emotion when he looks at me, but by the way his eyes move down and then back up, it's obvious he feels something. 

"I'm here to take you to the Dark Lord's private office." Draco holds out his arm and I slip mine through without hesitation. There's no warmth or comfort in his voice, it's all business for the silver haired Malfoy. 

As always, the smell of his cologne drifts over and soothes the restlessness inside my head even though it irritates me to death after all the things he said to me the last time we spoke. We don't speak now as we walk and I focus on getting my mind to a safe place. A place where no one can pry into the chamber of my thoughts and steal my most precious memories. 

I hear voices, many voices, coming from downstairs but I can't make any one out on it's own. Draco leads me down long, dark hallways, one after the next and it seems as if the Manor goes on forever. 

"It's just here." Draco points to the upcoming door at the end of the corridor and without thinking I squeeze his arm mine is looped through. I hadn't expected a squeeze back and my heart leaps into my throat when he does. My eyes snap up to his and there's sorrow swimming in his steel pools. Even if he does hate me for the trouble I've caused us, some part of him pities me in this moment. 

Draco reaches up and knocks on the door before releasing me from his hold. I notice he licks over his lips nervously before wiping his face of any expression and I try to do the same. There can be no suspicion, and right now is the true test of our limits. How well can we keep our own secrets? 

The knob turns from the other side and my heart stops in my chest. Everything around me disappears and I'm frozen where I stand. As the door slowly opens, my gaze snaps to the tall figure that's been revealed. 

I had heard stories of the Dark Lord's appearance. Growing up I was told he was serpent like, pale like a ghost and towered almost six and a half feet tall. The person standing before me can't be him. He looks boyish, almost handsome, with brown eyes and a tousle of hair on top to match. Dressed in a pair of trousers the color of ash and a crisp white dress shirt topped with a black vest, he looks like any other young wizard at Hogwarts. The only thing frightening about him is the vacant look in those orbs. There's no emotion whatsoever, as if he's just a shell of a person.

"Heidi, my darling. We meet at last." Those words alone vanquish any doubt I had about this man's identity. I force a believable smile and do as I was taught before I even learned to read. I take the skirt of my dress in my hands and bow gracefully while Draco stands beside me, still as can be. 

"My Lord." 

"Draco, we won't be needing you. I would like to speak to Miss Scarlet in private." The dark haired man smirks and something flashes in his eyes as he stares at the blonde beside me. Something like malice. "Thank you, for escorting her, now run along." The two lock eyes for a second before Draco bows his head and disappears back down the dark corridor without a word. 

The man before me gestures with a hand for me to enter the room and I obey without hesitation. The office is decorated in the same gothic style with candles lit throughout with ceiling tall bookcases lining almost every wall. 

"I thought it be best if we got acquainted before dinner." He reaches for a glass of clear, toffee colored liquid and takes a long sip. "Would you like a drink?" He lifts the decanter and holds it out. 

"No, thank you." I breathe out while taking a few steps closer. 

"No? Why is that?" My mother always taught me to keep a clear head when in a situation such as this one. 

" _You can't risk saying something you don't truly mean, Heidi, or worse something that you do._ " She would say. 

"I've never liked the flavor, to be honest." I do my best to keep my voice even, relaxed, like I'm talking with a friendly acquaintance. 

"Ah, yes but we don't drink for the flavor, darling." The way the words leave his tongue fills my stomach with nervous butterflies. He takes a long sip, his sinister gaze never leaving mine. "Perhaps, it would make you feel more comfortable." He pours the glass for me anyway despite the declined offer and comes over at a slow pace. 

"You're too kind, my lord." I tell him as I take it. He stays close, less than two feet from me, so close I can smell the cologne lingering on his skin. It's woodsy, filtering through my airways and tightening its grip around my insides. 

"Go on, take a sip." He encourages and I do as he says without further protest. "I'm sure I'm not what you were expecting." His hands motion towards his appearance. "I had spoken with a few of my most loyal subjects and they believed this," he touches his face for just a split second. "would be easier for you than my usual form." I look him over once more. I know now, more than ever I have to be the person I'm expected to be. 

"Any form would be suitable for me, my lord." 

"While we are here together, you may call me Tom, but only in privacy." His lips twitch as he looks me over once more. "The polyjuice potion is a vile concoction, but I'm willing to make my own sacrifices in light of our situation."

"You're very kind. I've never tasted it myself, but I've heard stories of its peculiar flavor." He continues to watch me and I force a smile, as if this is light, everyday conversation.

"I've heard from Severus your schooling is going well?" 

"Very well, thanks." 

"You're a quiet little thing, aren't you?" Tom takes a few slow, precise steps with one hand holding his glass while the other slips into his trouser pocket. He circles me and comes to rest at my back. I glance at him over my shoulder and see him eyeing the serpent on my skin. "Heidi, it will be best for everyone involved if you open yourself to me willingly." My stomach somersaults as I look ahead once more. "Some might say I'm cruel, and in some ways they might be correct, but I'm not cruel to those who are loyal." 

I'm taken by surprise when his free hand reaches out to trace the brand. The touch is feather light, his fingertips barely grazing my skin and a shiver ripples down my spine. A twisted smirk pulls at his lips as his eyes meet mine as if that's the exact reaction he had wanted.

"Will you do right by your family, Heidi? Will you make good on their oath and swear yourself to me willingly?" 

"Of course, my lord." I breathe out without hesitation before turning to face him. 

"Tom." He corrects before reaching the same hand up to brush across my cheek. His touch is not comforting in anyway, instead it feels more like possession as he grows bolder, his flat palm running down my neck to the base of my throat where he caresses me there for a moment longer. My breath catches in my throat, but just as soon as it starts he's pulled away from me and set his glass down across the room. "I believe it's time for dinner." Tom holds an arm out and I slip mine through as if it's second nature. 

"I'm starved." The statement is far from the truth, in face I feel like I could be sick at any moment. I risk one last look up at his face as the heat of his body this close to mine almost burns me. I want to be a million miles from here, but I have no choice but to put on the best acting show of my life. Perhaps, it's the only thing keeping me, and others, from death. 

"Let me introduce you to our world, darling." And with that we exit the office arm in arm.


	19. Cold as Stone

_HEIDI_

The dining room is filled with faces, some familiar while others are strangers to me. The long table spans the entire length of the room and at each end there is a lit fireplace along the wall. I could hear the chatter of many voices on our way down the hall, but as we breach the doorway the room goes silent.

Every seat is filled and when we enter, all eyes are on me. Tom leads me over to one end where the head seat is empty as well as the one to the right. Bellatrix Lestrange sits in the one to the head's left and I don't miss the way her eyes follow me, a sinister smirk on her face the whole way. I keep my head high and avoid looking at any one person too close as Tom stops at the empty seat. He pulls out the oversized gothic style chair and I slip into it with grace, only then turning my attention to the raven haired woman across from me. All of the faces look to Tom for direction, but all he does is wave a hand in the air.

"Carry on, no need to make a spectacle of the girl." Tom snaps out and most of the sets of eyes look down at their plates instead of at me. 

"Well, well, if it isn't the chosen daughter." Bellatrix sneers as she leans forward, ignoring Tom's command entirely. "This one's as meek as a dormouse, my lord. Are you sure she's the one you've been waiting for?"

"Bella, darling, do hush." Tom mumbles through clenched teeth as he rests a hand on hers that's resting on the wooden tabletop. "I would hate to have to move you down the table to sit with Peter Pettigrew." He threatens and she immediately sits back in her seat, her mouth shutting. Its only then that I risk looking down the table at all of the faces to see who I recognize. Across from me a few seats down from the Lestrange woman, are two red headed Scots I recognize from many weekends spent at their home. They are Zahara's parents.

"It's good to see you, Mr. and Mrs. Forrest." I greet as they turn to look at me. They do nothing but nod back and I wonder what that could be about. We aren't acquaintances by any means, I know them well, yet they treat me like this is the first time we've met.

A few seats down from them I see the one person in the world who could offer me comfort in this moment. Severus Snape. He catches my gaze and offers me nothing more than a slight upturn of his lips before he too, turns his eyes back down to his plate. At the opposite end of the table across from Tom Riddle is Lucius Malfoy. He's in hushed conversation with his wife and beside her sits Draco. They seem to be having a bit of a disagreement but since they are so far down the line I can't hear a word of it. 

"Shall we eat?" Tom interrupts my thoughts and I watch as Lucius snaps his attention to the man across from him.

"Of course." Lucius pulls his wand out of his suit pocket and with a flick, the empty plates in front of us are filled with a delectable looking meal with lots of colorful vegetables and decadent sauces. I feel as far from hungry as possible, but I pick up my fork and eat anyway. When I chance a look across from me at Bellatrix, she's seething under the skin as her beady black eyes stay locked on me. Even when she catches me looking, she makes no move to look away. The woman has no shame. 

Dinner passes by in a blur of mixed conversation and I do my best to stay attentive, but by the end my brain is close to shutting down. Having to keep up the perfect facade has exhausted me after the day full of traveling and I've never been more relieved than when Tom claps his hands to conclude the meal. Everyone begins to stand and head off to their own quarters as others come to our end of the table to converse with the Dark Lord before calling it a night.

"My lord." I reach out and place my hand on his with a feather-light touch as he sits in the high back chair, slumped to one side with his elbow resting on the arm rest, his chin on his hand as he stares out at his congregation in silence.

"Yes, darling?" His eyes flicker from Lucius Malfoy across the way to me.

"I was wondering if it would be okay if I retired to my room for the evening." He holds my gaze for a few ticks before giving me a sharp nod.

"That will be fine." Tom stands from his seat and pulls mine out so I can stand. The dress feels heavy from the intricate beadwork after sitting for so long and I want nothing more in this moment than to be free of it. Its like a costume, concealing the real person I am deep down so as to put on a show for the room. "Draco." Tom calls out as he snaps his fingers and the blonde haired boy stands from his seat without hesitation. "Do be so kind as to escort Miss Scarlet back to her room for the evening." The dark haired man takes both of my hands in his before leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek. Inside I'm screaming, but on the outside I force a believable smile as he pulls back to assess my reaction. 

"Good evening, my Lord." I breathe out before turning to see Draco now standing just to my left. 

"Goodnight, my darling." Draco holds his arm out for me to take, his expression blank and stoic, and I take it, but make sure to look back at Tom over my shoulder as he watches us disappear from the room, offering him a warm look of goodbye to further solidify my feelings for him. 

The moment the grand double doors to the dining area are closed behind us, I let out an exhale while resting my free hand on my stomach. All of the nerves I'd been fighting all night bubble to the surface and the mask I'd kept in place slips away. My steps on the stone floor are quick, to the point where it seems like Draco is struggling to keep up and as we make our way up the staircase I pull my arm from his and hurry a few steps ahead. 

"Heidi." Draco whispers out as he picks up the pace to catch me. "Heidi, stop." He takes my wrist and yanks me to a halt just as we reach the top. 

"Leave me alone." I breathe out, my eyes not quite meeting his as I try to look anywhere but there. Draco is quiet for a moment before he reaches up and brushes a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You were incredible." His voice is soft and for a second I think I've misheard him. "Everyone in that room believed you, of that I'm certain." I risk a look into his steel eyes and there's so much sadness swimming in them. "I believed you." My eyebrows furrow. 

"In what way?" 

"You couldn't see yourself, but I did. The way you smiled at him, laughed, you looked entirely comfortable in his presence." 

"I've had nine years to learn just that." I whisper, my eyes darting from left to right to make sure there are no prying ears.

"It didn't seem like acting. It seemed like you were right where you wanted to be." My heart drops into my stomach when I see just how he's feeling. He may have broken my heart only days ago, but that doesn't change the way I've felt about him since the beginning.

"Well, it was acting." I turn on my heel and take a few steps down the hallway before Draco catches up. "I need to sleep, Draco. I'm exhausted." He says nothing else, instead we walk in silence until we reach my bedroom door. 

"Goodnight, then." He mumbles out before disappearing down the corridor towards his own room. I slip into mine and feel a wave of relief knowing I'm alone behind this door. There's no facade I have to put on, no fake smiles, and the first thing on my list is to get out of this dress.

•••

The sun rises all too early and after having not fallen asleep until around four in the morning, I'm left feeling foggy as I try to bury myself further into the sheets. There's just one sad stream of light filtering through the fog into the window, like the sun is trying its best to be seen, but failing. 

I stretch my arms out over my head before sitting up. From what I can hear, the house is quiet as if everyone is still sleeping. After climbing off the oversized bed, I slip my arms into a floor length satin robe, knotting it at the waist, and heading out the door with a quick peek to make sure no one is out there. 

It's eerily silent and my feet sound like they weigh a hundred pounds on the creaky hardwood as I try to make my way down without being heard. When I reach the kitchen, the only soul around is one of the house elves who stands on the counter top with a long, feathery duster in his skeleton-like hand. His movements are slow and mechanical as he wipes away any trace of cobwebs from the crown moulding.

"Good morning." A voice startles me and I turn to see Narcissa to my left, leaning against the counter with a cup of steaming tea held in her delicate hands. Her form is enveloped in shadows as she steps forward and I see she, too is still in her pajamas. "I didn't mean to startle you." 

"No, it's alright." I breathe out. 

"Would you like some tea?" She motions towards the kettle and I nod. 

"That would be lovely." Narcissa busies herself with getting another cup out of the cupboard while I slide onto an antique looking barstool. "You seemed to enjoy yourself at dinner, that's good." I hear her say as she stands with her back to me. 

"It was lovely." My voice is soft, still full of sleep as she turns and sets the tea in front of me. "Where is everyone?" I hadn't been wrong about the manor being quiet, I hadn't passed a single soul on my way down here which seems peculiar with the amount of guests staying for the week. 

"The men come and go, on business usually, while the ladies take to using their time here as relaxation. You'll find them in the gardens or the library on a morning such as this one." There's a warm expression on her face as she takes a sip, her gaze locked on me. 

"That must be nice." I force a smile. 

"There's a nice little village not far from here that has a few shops you could get lost in. There's plenty to do if you look in the right places." She has the same unwavering stare I've grown use to from her son, and it's strange seeing it come from her. Narcissa says nothing for a moment, like she's churning over her words inside her head. "I would love for you to feel at home here, Heidi." I nod as I look down at my cup. 

"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy. You've all been so welcoming, it would be hard not to." 

"You should take a walk through the gardens this afternoon. I hear the sun will be out for a bit. It's a great opportunity to see some of the foliage." She motions towards the expansive yard out the kitchen window. 

"I'd like that." She comes around and places a hand on my arm for just a second. 

"If you'll excuse me, I've got guests to attend to and I mustn't do it in my dressing gown." That warm, motherly look is back as she pats my hand and heads for the exit. 

Something about Narcissa Malfoy makes me long for a family I never had. My mother wasn't nurturing or soft. She was strict and ruled me with an iron fist not many others had to experience. From the outside looking in, she must've looked like the picture of a perfect mother, but on the inside she was cold as stone. 

Before I can get too down on myself thinking of my past, I finish off the tea and head back up to my room to get ready for the day. Attached the the grandiose bedroom I had been assigned is a bathroom just as ornately designed. The claw foot tub in the center screams out for use and I do so without question after pinning my hair on top of my head. I turn the tap as hot as it will go and sink down to my chin. My skin cries out in steaming pain, but I relish the burn as I close my eyes. 

A while later, there's a knock on the bedroom door which pulls me out of a semi-sleep state. Disoriented, I stand from the tub and slip my arms back into the robe, my body soaking the inside layer as I pad across the wooden floor to the door. I peek my head out, trying to conceal my less than decent attire from the person on the other side. To my surprise, I see Draco. My eyebrows furrow as I open the door further. 

"My mother asked that I take you to see the gardens." The robe clings to my damp skin and when he realizes what I have on, or lack there of, his gaze snaps to fix on something above my head. 

"You don't have to do this." I whisper out after hearing the hollow tone to his voice. "I'll be just fine on my own." If only his mother could know that the two of us being alone together is the worst idea anyone has ever had. How miserable this will feel. 

"You're a guest and it's our job as host to see you around." That tone causes my heart to clench, like he's talking to a stranger. 

"Draco." I breathe out while willing him with my eyes to look at me. "I am _not_ touring the gardens with you." I seethe in a whisper as I wrap my arms around myself. He finally looks down and I plead with him without using words. 

"I'm under strict instructions, Heidi. It's the Dark Lord's command that you not spend the entire week holed up in your room." Draco snaps while locking eyes with me. So, his mother had sent him to fetch me because the Dark Lord commanded it be so. It seems nothing has changed. I have no free will here, either. 

"Fine." I go to shut the door in his face, but he raises a hand to stop it. "I have to get dressed." I motion towards the robe and try to shut it again, this time he allows it. I choose a simple black dress that hangs to the floor with long, lace sleeves that reach my wrists. 

I miss jeans already. I miss the simplicity of a Slytherin sweater and a pair of tights. Instead of heels like I'm sure is expected of me, I slip my feet into a pair of pointed toe flats. The dress is long enough you can't see them, anyway, so why suffer if I don't have to? I pull my hair down out of the messy do and fix it into a tight, sleek bun on top of my head. That will have to do since my escort is waiting just outside in the hall. 

Draco knocks on the door, signaling me to hurry up and when I open the door, his face is neutral as always. He doesn't even look at the new outfit, instead he stuffs his hands into his pockets and with a nod of his head, asks me to follow him down the staircase.


	20. Violets

**  
HEIDI**

The crisp air is refreshing as we walk side by side thorough the rows of foliage. Some varieties are native to the area, some imported from other countries and I'm surprised by the vast variety of plants that grow in such a cold, gloomy place such as this. The garden is a winding maze of paths leading as far as my eyes can see. There's no bright red roses, no colorful lilies. All the blooming flowers are different shades of green and the ones that do have color are ebony. They are all as dark and gloomy as the environment they reside in. 

Just as Narcissa had said, the sun has managed to win a small battle against the clouds for the time being and as it touches the skin of my face, I feel calm. Maybe it's that Draco is beside me or that I'm out of the stuffy house with ears listening everywhere I turn, I'm not sure, but inside the Malfoy Manor, I feel like someone else. Out here, I'm me again. 

We don't speak much. It's as if neither of us know what to say. What could we possibly talk about? The conversations we use to share in secret at Hogwarts were dark, the innermost corners of our lives revealed, but here it's formal and stiff, like it pains him to even be in my presence. 

"This is my mother's favorite." Draco's voice drags me out of my thoughts as he comes to a stop. "The Bat Orchid, also known as the Devil's flower." 

"They're beautiful." I reach a hand out and trace one of the peculiar petals with my first finger. 

"It has healing properties. It's used in certain elixirs to calm the nerves. It can also transform rage into fierce strength, to keep a level head when needed." I nod as I lean down to smell its scent as a cool breeze tickles the skin of my neck. It's woodsy, earth-like, almost resembling the scent of moss with a tinge of spice. I've never smelled anything like it. 

"Does your mother do the gardening?" I question as I stand back up and turn to him. 

"Sometimes, but she rarely has the time for it, anymore." Draco let's out a breath. "The house elves do most of the tending, but my mother would spend all of her days out here if she could."

"I can imagine. The upkeep of the manor must consume most of her time." Draco says nothing more, just stares down at me with those blank eyes. 

"Let's keep moving." His gaze flickers over my shoulder where the manor lies. 

"Have you lived here all of your life?" I ask after we've walked a little way in silence. I catch him looking over at me with a quizzical expression. 

"I have." The words are short and to the point, leaving no room for a follow up question to keep the conversation going. 

"Look, Draco, this is already painful enough–" I go to stop, but he latches onto my upper arm to keep me moving. I turn to complain, but all that earns me is a stern side eye. 

"Someone is always watching." Draco grits out as he glances back, but we carry on just in case there's someone listening in. 

"What are these?" I question as I stop in front of a beautiful display of deep, dark purple flowers, almost black but with the bit of sun, you can see their true identity. They're familiar, yet not at the same time. I've never seen a flower this color before, but the shape is close to one I know. The scent is strong, I don't even have to lean forward to get bit of it's fragrance. Intoxicating. 

"Don't get too close to that one." Draco takes me by the upper arm and pulls me back. I glance up at him with a raised brow. " _Violettes Désespérée._ " He stares at the deep purple blooms as if they've offended him, his brow furrowed and mouth just a thin, tight line. 

"The desperate violets." I translate. "I've never heard of them."

"Its a distant cousin to the version you can buy in any floral shop, but this one shares no similarities with those, aside from its name of course." I'm curious. I want to step closer, breathe in the sweet, floral air I had only gotten a short taste of. "This particular strain flourishes with little sunlight, which would make you think it's perfect for a place like Malfoy Major, but once it reaches a certain age, the lack of sunlight turns the plant into a weapon. It turns against the environment it once flourished in and will suck the life from any living thing within its grasp. It's vapors, though they draw you in with ease, will induce a sense of hopelessness if exposed for too long— one that can lead the poor soul who gets within its grasp to madness. If ingested, well, there's little anyone can do to prevent the inevitable. Even magic can't save you, then."

"How tragic," I breathe out. "That something so beautiful can be so violent." It's only then that I notice the violets are in a place all of their own without any other plant source around for them to destroy. A small knoll a bit further away. Here, they have room to grow freely without worry of intruding on another species. "Why keep such dangerous plants in the garden? Doesn't your mother worry someone might get into the wrong one?" I glance around at all of the different types. All powerful, all useful, but not all for the faint of heart. Only darkness grows in darkness. 

"My mother has a love for the things most see as malevolent or outcast. Each plant in this garden serves a purpose, magical or otherwise. These are far from the worst." We continue to walk, but I can't seem to get the purple flower out of my mind. 

"Your Mother is an interesting woman." When I glance up at Draco, I see what appears to be the start of a smile, just a tick at the corners of his mouth, but it's there. 

"She is, indeed."

___

The walk through the grounds had taken up much of the afternoon and by the time we arrived back inside the manor, I'm ready for something to eat and a nap. Nothing is ever that simple, though. By the time I kick off my shoes and reach for the pins in my hair, there's a knock on my bedroom door. Narcissa pops her head inside with a warm smile. 

"Did you enjoy the gardens?" She asks while stepping further inside and closing the door behind her. 

"I did, they truly are a wonder." I offer her a smile in return as she comes over and places a hand on my upper arm. 

"I'll be sure to tell the elves their hard work has not gone unnoticed." Narcissa gives my arms a squeeze before stepping over to the window where she gazes out, her stare as heavy and dark as her son's. "I've come to inform you the Dark Lord seeks a private dinner with you this evening in his study." She turns to look at me and I feel just by the expression on her face, she knows of something I don't. 

"Oh, I would love to." I whisper, but it doesn't come out as confident as I would like.

"It will just be the two of you, but of course, Draco will be your escort." 

"Will that be as it is for my entire stay?" I question as she turns back to the view. "Draco taking me everywhere, I mean." The older woman doesn't speak for a long moment and I'm almost afraid I've said something to offend her. 

"Yes, my darling, that is what the Dark Lord has requested." I feel my chest clench at her honesty. "Draco is to accompany you anytime you leave this room for an extended period of time."

"But, why?" When she locks her eyes on me, there's a knowing expression written in them. A mother knows. A mother _always_ knows. 

"He's your classmate, a familiar face in a sea of strangers." Narcissa lies, and I have to admit it's very convincing. If you didn't know otherwise, you'd have no reason to doubt her, but there's a sinister reasoning behind Voldemort's request. I can feel it. "The manor is vast and winding, you could get lost if you're not careful." Narcissa steps to the wardrobe without another word about it. She starts rifling through the garments before she settles on one in particular. "This will do nicely." 

The one she's chosen is a form fitting, long sleeve option in black. With a high neckline reaching the collarbones, it seems conservative and plain enough until she turns it to reveal the back. The bottom hem puddles at the floor while the back is completely open from below the neck to the waist — a bit revealing for my personal taste. 

"It's a little–" I can't think of the right word as we stare at each other, my head tilted to one side. " _Cold_ for that one, isn't it?" Narcissa's mouth forms a tight line as she looks from the dress to me, as if there's an inner monologue inside her head that I'm not privy to.

"It will be lovely on you. The Dark Lord will appreciate the classic style." So, she's not giving me the option to say no. 

"Of course, thank you for your help, Narcissa." She forces a tight smile while draping the gown over the edge of the bed. 

"Hair up, if you will, like last night." I give her a stiff nod as she makes her way towards the door. 

Narcissa reaches for the door handle, but instead of leaving, she turns to look at me over her shoulder. Is it worry I see written on her features, a prominent wrinkling standing out on her forehead, her eyes a bit wider than normal? I can't tell, but it leaves me feeling uneasy. 

"Heidi," I step towards her as she says my name. "If there's anything you need to get off of your chest, you may come to me. I hope that you will keep that in mind over the next few days." The tone of her voice leads me to believe she means that statement, truly. She's a mother after all. A mother who loves her son deeply, it's written all over her. "I may not have all of the answers, but I'm a mother. I understand more than you may realize."

"Thank you, I will." My voice is barely there, but as soon as I say the words she's out the door and I'm left wondering what she meant by that.

___

The black gown is nothing more than a heavy costume weighing me down. The fabric, much like last nights choice, is expensive, but I force my shoulders straight as I carry the weight of it. As I look at myself over in the mirror, I feel a chill as a draft tickles the exposed skin of my back. With my hair pinned tightly to the back of my head, there's no hiding the mass amount of skin from view. It barely rests above my hips and if it weren't for the skin tight material, I would be afraid of exposing more than I would ever want to in public with one simple shift. 

The knock at the door signaling Draco has arrived to take me to dinner drags me out of the anxious spiral. I want to change, but I know there's no defying the Malfoy word. Narcissa had chosen this dress for a reason, as there is one behind every decision the matriarch makes. 

Draco awaits on the other side of the door with that same blank expression written all over his face. He keeps his gaze trained over my head as I step into the hall. We don't speak, as the tension is high between the two of us. He had opened up in the garden, not personally, but it was conversation all the same. The first real one since Hogwarts, but now he's as stoic as ever. One of his hands moves to rest on the small of my back to urge me forward, but when he feels bare skin, the hand drops back to his side as if he's been burned. 

"The Dark Lord will be pleased with your appearance, tonight." He mumbles out and I don't miss the way he says the words like they have a bitter taste. 

"Thank you." The walk around the manor goes as it had the precious night with little conversation, a very heavy silence looming of our heads. My nerves are in full affect and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified to be in Voldemort's presence alone.

The door to the study comes into view and I focus in on the task at hand. Draco knocks and when the door opens, we are greeted by one of the house elves, Tizzy. 

"Good evening, Master Malfoy and Miss Scarlet." The elf opens the door further and my eyes land on a small table in the center of the office with a black table cloth draped over it. The table wasn't here last night, the Dark Lord must have had it brought in for our dinner. On top sit two empty plates on either side and a few different sized candles rest between them. "The Dark Lord is expecting you." Tizzy motions for us to enter and I look to Draco for guidance. 

"Thanks, Tizzy." I try to offer her a smile. Is Draco suppose to come in with me? Am I suppose to enter alone? Narcissa had told me it was a private dinner, but Voldemort is no where to be seen to confirm and by the way the elf keeps looking at her owner, it would seem she expects him to come in as well. 

"Enjoy your meal, Miss Scarlet." Draco mumbles as he turns to make his exit. So, I guess that answers my question. 

Tizzy stares up at me with those oversized eyes, making me feel uncomfortable as I step further into the room. The elf shuts the door behind me as my gaze flickers around at all of the different books lining most of the walls. I had been too nervous to really get a good look the night before, but now that I'm alone it feels safe to explore. The titles are all foreign to me, most of the spines a mixture of black, gold, and emerald green. As I analyze ether collection of literature, I feel as if I'm intruding on something not meant for me, so I head over to the table and take a seat.

The wait drags on as Tizzy whirls about, placing antique silverware at each place setting, polishing the empty goblets, and dusting away any imperfections from the Dark Lord's place across from me. I wish I could think of something kind to say to the slave, but in this moment, pleasantries don't come to mind. I start to wonder what is keeping him, but just as I do, the door swings open to reveal the man, himself. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting, darling." Tom Riddle comes over and slides into the chair across the table, his dark gaze locked on me. I'm not sure if I should stand, my position didn't come with a handbook, but there's no words of offense when I hold my position. If I'm to be his betrothed, that would mean that in privacy, I would be his equal, or so I've been told. 

"No need to apologize." I force a warm smile. "I'm sure you've got quite the busy schedule with the manor filled with your most loyal subjects." I lay it on thick, almost as if I admire him and he drinks it in. 

"Yes, you're right about that, but the entire reason behind this little get together we are having is you." My stomach does a cartwheel, but I show no sign of it on the outside. "It will be nice to have some time alone with you." The corners of his lips twitch, like there's a secret behind those words. 

"I've been looking forward to it all afternoon." Tom unlocks his stare and turns to Tizzy who waits just at his elbow, ready for her marching orders. 

"Tizzy, fetch us a bottle of Cabernet." 

"Yes, my lord, right away." With a _poof_ , the elf disappears from the room, but is back only a moment later holding an expensive bottle of what looks to be a very expensive vintage. 

"This, my darling, will change your opinion on disliking the flavor of spirits." Tom snatches the bottle from the house elf and begins pouring his own glass before sitting up to fill my own. The use of the pet name does little to ease my nerves, but I know that tonight is going to be a make or break it kind of dinner. I have to be able to hold my own when I'm alone with him behind closed doors. 

"I'll trust your word." I tease as I lift the goblet to my lips as he does the same. The taste is dark with fruity undertones. It's delicious. "It's lovely." I take another sip before setting the wine back down. I don't want to over do it, the last think I need is to get drunk while he stares at me the way that he is now. 

"Heidi, I've asked you here so we can get to know one another without any prying eyes." I place my hands on the table in front of me and hold his gaze, like talking with the darkest wizard to ever be is as natural as breathing. "I know you must think I know all about you, but that's far from the truth. I know what I've been told by your family," The look on his face is one of pure disgust as he thinks of my mother and father. "But I don't feel that they truly know you. Am I right about that?" 

"Do any parents _actually_ know the truth of their children?" I try to make a joke, knowing well that my parents have no idea the person I've become, only the one they raised. That girl faded away quite some time ago. It seems Tom finds my question amusing because the smirk grows wide enough to meet his hollow eyes. 

"You are right about that." Another snap of his fingers and Tizzy steps up looking petrified. "Dinner, Tizzy. We've not got all night."

"Yes, master." Tizzy does a quick snap of her own abnormally long, thin fingers and the meal appears before us looking mouthwatering. The elf disappears once again and this time she doesn't return, leaving us alone to speak privately. If I were hungry, I would have a hard time resisting the roast and colorful vegetables, but I'm far from it. Tom, on the other hand digs in. "I would like to know it all, Heidi." He mumbles while holding his fork to his mouth. "Your darkest secrets, your fantasies, what you would do if you had all of the power on earth." I take a moment to think over what he's asking of me. The wrong answer could have dire consequences and it feels as if I'm being tested. 

"Well, I'm not sure I've experienced enough of the world to have grand plans for the way things should be, my lord."

"Tom." He corrects before I realize I've even skipped up.

"Tom, yes." I flutter my lashes as I eye him. "I'm not as experienced as someone like yourself. I'm sure you've seen incredible things." That causes him to place his silverware on his plate, his full attention on me, now. 

"I have. I've seen extraordinary things that you wouldn't believe." It's clear this subject is fascinating to him. "Civilizations from a time past where the leaders are treated as God's, the filth kept in line simply because they've honed their magic in ways you can't imagine. I've seen it all, Heidi, and I'd like to show it to you one day." 

"I would like that." I lie, but Tom doesn't question my sincerity. 

"It's a dark and lonely world when you're the only one of your kind." There's a far-away look in his eyes as his gaze falls on something just over my shoulder. "I'm hoping the two of us together can build a world such as one in ancient history. A society where the people obey without question and we flourish." 

"It would seem you have the power and the right people." I motion towards the manor that's filled with his people, but that just earns me an irritated huff. "I've never seen such a gathering of powerful witches and wizards."

"Dogs, all of them. Filthy, no good _dogs_." Tom snaps as he sits back in his chair. "I don't need more cowering whelps at my service, my darling. I want fierce warriors who can do what needs to be done to achieve the greatness I desire." I listen intently as he speaks. I find it odd that he's confiding in me, but then I remember that my soul purpose on this earth is to fulfill whatever wish he commands. Not one piece of him thinks I would defy that duty. If I did, my family would pay the price. The Scarlets would be no more. "Now you, on the other hand, are no whelp, are you?" I sit up straighter in my chair as his gaze hones in on me, the intensity there causing the turning in my stomach to switch from cartwheels to backflips. 

"If I had to choose, I would say I'm more of a wise owl than a whelp. Maybe a sly fox, even." I tease as one corner of my lips tips up into a smirk. A grin spreads on his own. He _likes_ that I'm not intimidated, at least not on the outside. "Cunning, sly, mysterious." That earns a low chuckle from the man across from me. 

"I could use a few of those, as well." 

"Then, by all means, I'm at your service." Tom is quiet for a moment as he looks me over. I feel exposed under his scrutiny, but I hold fast. If I'm to be treated as his equal, I must _act_ like I'm his equal. There will be no cowering in this room.

"A quiet dormouse you are not." Tom points out and I'm reminded of what Bellatrix had said to me last night at dinner. "I can give you the world on a shining, golden platter, Heidi, all I ask is that you give yourself to me entirely." My throat tightens at the devastating meaning behind those words. "We will build a world worthy of our own greatness. It will be ours and it will be incredible." I reach for the wine glass and take a long pull as I listen. 

The way Tom speaks is so animated, so passionate as he describes his dreams, and I wish more than anything that he was speaking of the kind of place where change would better the lives of everyone. The picture he is painting is one of personal glory and satisfaction, but I know below all of that is a world of horror for the ones less fortunate. A world where muggles and half breeds will spend their lives as slaves. 

"The children we will conceive together will carry on our legacy long after we are gone. The Scarlet surname was destined to share blood with my own and our offspring will be worshipped." The mention of children almost causes me to blow my cover. It's a punch to the stomach to even consider sharing a bed with a man such as Voldemort, but I shouldn't have expected that subject to stay buried for long. 

"Nothing would please me more than to build this world with you." I whisper, my voice steady. "The world you desire, Tom, is the one I, too wish for." 

"I have your word, then?" He raises a brow while leaning forward. If it weren't for the table between us, he would be mere inches from my face. 

"Of course. You have my word."


End file.
